Ireland 'on right track to becoming the world's number one boxing nation'

CULTURE CREATORS: Irish boxing coaches Damian Kennedy and Zaur Antia. Pictures: IABA/Lowki Culture

Damian Kennedy believes Ireland is on course to becoming the world's best boxing nation and a large part of that feat would be down to head coach Zaur Antia.

"We're constantly evolving our techniques and methods of how we can get better," IABA high performance coach Kennedy says in Seconds Out: Stories of Irish Boxing,the first in a series of short documentary videos commissioned by the association.

"The head coach here is a very creative man, an unbelievably creative man. He has so many innovative ideas. It's great to be in the presence of him because he's such a creative man that you're learning every single day. No two days are the same here.

"That on its own is what makes Irish boxing, I don't want to say head and shoulders above everybody else, but we are heading in that right direction. That is one of the things, the creativity from Zaur.

"There is that backroom staff who are constantly working on innovative ways we can get better all the time. One of them is our performance analyst who has developed some exciting techniques.

"The main thing I would like to contribute to is being part of the team that makes Irish boxing the best nation in the world. We are capable of doing that. 

"We've got a massive fighting spirit and now with the technical aspect that we've brought to it, I think we're on the right track to becoming the world's number one boxing nation."

Five Irish boxers have already qualified for the Olympics and eight more are aiming to do so this coming week in Italy where the first qualifier of the year for the Games will take place. 

“We would love to qualify the biggest team ever to represent Ireland – and we believe that is achievable," says IABA high performance director Tricia Heberle. 

Antia, the Georgia native who has become a key part of Ireland Olympic boxing hopes, says "at the moment we have a great atmosphere in the team". 

"Everybody is looking for improvement," he continues.

"Everybody has a contribution. Our coaches are fantastic. Everyone is working together. Nobody knows how difficult a time we had when there was negative things but we break this. Culture, proper approach, teamwork will change everything.

"Success is always open. You can always be better tomorrow. That's what it's about and I try this all the time."