Nevin has eyes on 2012 after tame exit

JOHN JOE NEVIN made a somewhat tame exit from the Olympics last night when he went down 9-2 to Mongolia’s athlete of the year, Badar-Uugan Enkhbat.

The fact that both boxers were counter-punchers was always going to lead to lean times, but the fight was not altogether as one-sided as the computer would suggest. Nevertheless, it was a disappointing performance from the young Mullingar bantamweight.

Not alone did he fail to register a single point in the first round, but he did not throw a clean punch, and the Mongolian did not fare much better – registering just one point from a big right hand to head.

That right hand to the head would prove to be the decisive punch. When he caught Nevin early in the third round, Cuban referee Jan Ponce had no hesitation administering a standing count.

Nevin, coming forward, walked right into it again towards the end of the round and, for a brief moment, it appeared as if he might not get back on to his feet for a second count.

It certainly tested his jaw and he recovered quickly, but Enkhbat had built up a comfortable 7-2 cushion and finished off the contest with two more right hands to the head in the fourth.

Nevin’s punches were sparse but, in fairness, he landed at least four good shots which went unnoticed by the ringside officials.

And while he was distraught afterwards, he admitted that the best man won on the night.

“All I wanted to do was go out and perform but I know I did not perform to my potential tonight,” he said. “We were both counter-punchers but he is more experienced than me — after all, he’s a silver medallist at the worlds.

“All I wanted to do was perform but when you come up against that type of opponent it is difficult; I am only 19 and I am up against top-class opponents. I tried my best.”

He admitted that last year Beijing was not even on his mind. He was just thinking about winning the Irish senior title.

“As far as I was concerned 2012 would be my games. I shouldn’t be out here at all. I’m four years ahead of myself but I’m here getting the experience that will stand to me for the 2012 games.”

He said he might have appeared to be landing scoring shots but insisted that the better man won on the day. He kept getting caught with the big right hand.

“The boys warned me about that, but when I was stepping back he was catching me - once I went in I was dropping my left hand and he was landing the right hooks.

“He is a clever boxer, very difficult and once he got the lead I had no option but to walk onto him and he was nailing me with the big right hook.

“The fact that he was a counter-puncher made it even more difficult. You need to get close if you are going to get points. I was trying to feint and draw him in but he wasn’t coming.

“Twelve months ago, I did not think I’d be here boxing at the Olympics. The senior title was all I wanted. Hopefully and with a bit of luck I will be around for 2012.”

Nevin’s coach Billy Walsh agreed the Mongolian deserved his victory: “He landed a couple of good left hands which he didn’t get scored and which may have made a difference. But the best man won. We had warned him about the right hook.

“Both of them are counter-punchers. John Joe likes to fight the type of fight that your man fought. Whoever gets the lead, the other guy is chasing. That was the ploy, to try to get the lead or at least to match him by the end of the first round. He was one behind so he had to go to try to chase that lead. “When he went chasing, we warned him to keep his left hand up or he was going to walk onto that right hook. Your man has a peach of a right hook. In most of his fights, he scores with his right hook.”

Today, Darren Sutherland and Paddy Barnes make what Walsh feels will be a dramatic entry into the tournament after waiting in the wings for more than a week.

“They’re looking forward to it,” he said. “They are two very exciting fighters. Darren is very, very explosive and I think he could set this place alight, hopefully; Paddy has got a very tricky opponent, he’s tall and a southpaw from Ecuador. He moves well which will make it difficult for Paddy.

“Darren has a tough opponent, he is very physical but that will suit Darren. He likes that and hopefully we’ll have better results tomorrow.

“Lead hands aren’t scoring that well here. It’s really about driving the head back. Hopefully we’ll see Darren Sutherland’s lead hand scoring because he has a really good jab which can drive people’s head back. Hopefully we will see that score which would be a big plus for him. But, with jabs, it’s difficult to say the least.”