London 2012 Olympian Darren O'Neill winding back the clock at National Elite Championships

Darren O’Neill ended a four year break from the ring with victory at the National Elite Championships last weekend

Darren O'Neill during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Picture: David Maher

Former Irish boxing captain Darren O’Neill will look to complete his career renaissance next weekend after advancing to the final of the National Elite Championships.

The London 2012 Olympian had been due to take on Ighosa Igharo in tomorrow's 86kg semi before the Clann Naofa fighter was forced to withdraw from competition.

O'Neill, who rolled back the years with a memorable quarter-final win against fancied prodigy Kane Tucker, cut short his retirement earlier this month in search of an eighth senior crown.

All the more remarkable was the swiftness with which O’Neill parachuted himself back into the fray at just a week’s notice, promptly ending a four-year ring hiatus to book his berth in the cruiserweight bracket.

“It was a last-minute decision really,” said the 36-year-old of his quickfire second act.

“I suppose with all the gyms closed for the last while, I had just been doing a bit of boxing stuff by myself.

“Then I was down with my parents the week before the deadline for entry, and I just said to my dad: ‘come on and we’ll do a few rounds of pads’, which we hadn’t done in a long, long time.

“My mam and dad went out for a meal and I drove. They said: ‘you not going to have anything to drink?’ - I said to my mam: ‘sure aren’t I getting ready for the elites’ — just joking like!

“But then when I got back to my own house on the Monday I said to myself I’d go for a few sprints to see how I am, and I got through that. Don’t get me wrong, I was tired! But I woke up Tuesday, wasn’t too sore or anything, so I just went ahead with another training session that evening. I rang my dad then and said: ‘look, the deadline for these is tomorrow.’ That was that.

“Kane Tucker, who is a very good young guy, is who I figured I’d be seeing in the final if I got there. It didn’t work out that way, though. I had to face him in that first fight last weekend; it was a bit of a rude awakening!

“But as I said to my dad at the start, I’d go into this whole thing for a bit of craic and see. It’s been a dire two years for everyone. I thought it would awaken a bit of interest in the club again, for the kids and all. So yeah, things have worked out nicely for us.”

A former school teacher, O’Neill had spent the bulk of his recent years switching career lanes to take up a role in the business sector with KPMG. He has also established himself as a regular fixture of the boxing broadcast scene.

“I’ve been sitting ringside for the last couple of years, doing commentary and that kind of thing.

“Even with the limited training I was doing, I was sparring with other guys as well. Because of lockdown though, I haven’t sparred in over a year. I haven’t fought in four years! So I suppose I just assessed things and thought: ‘look, I’m 36 now, I won’t be able to do it forever.’

“I wouldn’t say it was like riding a bike! But (the comeback) has been fine so far. Any sportsperson would tell you —whether it’s GAA, soccer, golf — you need to be doing it over and over again. Your timing and distance, small little bits like that are off. You’re getting caught with stupid shots that you’d never get caught with before. I just had to tune my brain into it again.

“For the last while I’d just have been tearing away at the bag, but the bag doesn’t hit you back, you know?! So I had to get my head switched back on, almost to remember that there’ll be someone firing at me this time. Thankfully I had enough experience to get through.

“I’ve been in the ring against every type of style. This week, all I can do is focus on myself.”

O’Neill had first considered the possibility of a comeback in 2019, albeit to the paid ranks on that occasion.

Pugilistic politics — plus the onset of the pandemic —eventually put paid to that, the former hurling prospect then all but resigned to bidding farewell to the squared circle.

“After Covid, I suppose I kinda did think that was it.

“I’m only after getting married six or seven weeks ago as well … just another sign that life’s changing. Life changes all the time. But I suppose at 36, newly-married, I again thought that’s probably it. But here we are and I’ve decided to give it one last lash.

“It may have started as a bit of fun, but at the same time, how much fun can you have in a boxing ring when someone’s trying to beat you up?! I’d never set foot in a ring if I didn’t think I could win. Simple as that. I don’t care if you’re 80, you still need to think there’s a bit left in you to teach the young lads a thing or two.”