Irish Amateur Boxing Association: Squad Named For 2013 European Elite Championships

The Irish Amateur Boxing Association have confirmed their 10-man squad for the 2013 European Elite Championships. The Championships, the 40th edition of the tournament, begin in Minsk, Belarus on Saturday, June 1st.

London 2012 silver and bronze medalists John Joe Nevin, Michael Conlan and Paddy Barnes and 2011 European champions Joe Ward and Ray Moylette have been named in the Irish panel.

All five are currently ranked in the top-ten in the World by AIBA.

Current Irish Elite champion Jason Quigley will wear the Irish middleweight vest at the Palace of Sports Venue. The Donegal man will be aiming for a unique treble in June as he has already won European gold at Youth and U/23 level in 2009 and 2012.

Belfast lightweight Sean McComb will carry Ireland’s 60kg hopes, while Tommy McCarthy and Con Sheehan, who between them have won seven Irish Elite belts, line out at heavyweight and super-heavyweight.

The ten-strong Irish squad leave for the Ukraine on May 16th for their final training camp with the host nation, Azerbaijan and Armenia in Kiev. They travel straight from the Ukrainian capital to Minsk on May 28th.

“We’re looking forward to the European Championships, said Irish head coach Billy Walsh.

“We have a very tough training camp ahead of us in Kiev and the squad will be in tip-top shape for Minsk. We’ll be focusing on the best of our performances at the last few European Championships in Minsk and on taking it one fight at a time and on our own performances in each fight and each fight after that.”