Mayo boxer’s Olympic dream still alive

Moylette’s Olympic dream still alive


Islandeady boxer takes on the best in Europe

Daniel Carey

ISLANDEADY boxer Ray Moylette’s Olympic dream is still alive as he goes into action at the European Senior Championships in Turkey this week. The St Anne’s BC member flew to Ankara with the rest of the Irish team at the weekend after spending most of last week training in Westport.
Speaking before his departure, Moylette said he was “really looking forward” to the competition. He has fond memories of Turkey, where he won a bronze medal at a multi-nations tournament in April 2010.
The former world youth champion took part in a ten-day training camp in Sheffield alongside Irish, British, Polish and Estonian boxers. Moylette said the camp was “fierce tough” and the focus was on “heavy sparring”, with “eight or nine rounds every day” against “top class” opponents. He was still feeling the after-effects when we caught up with him last week!
The young Mayoman got word a month ago that he was in line to go, as Ross Hickey, the winner of the national title at 64kg, wasn’t being released by the army. Moylette, the 2010 champion, took part in the national championships but didn’t hold out much hope of success after breaking his hand. “I had a cast on until a few weeks before,” he explained, “but it’s a criteria for elite athletes that you enter the national seniors, and I was the defending champion.”
His goal of boxing in the 2012 London Olympics remains alive, as he’s set to take part in box-offs next August, the winner of which will advance to the World Championships. The ‘Worlds’, set for Baku in Azerbijan, will serve as the first Olympic qualifier. “They’re giving everyone a chance,” says Moylette, and he’s determined to take his.

Eade returns to National Stadium
WESTPORT boxer Finbarr Eade will return to the National Stadium, site of his greatest underage triumphs, when he features on the undercard of a world title fight next Saturday week, June 25.
Eade has been a sparring partner for Patrick Hyland, who takes on Frenchman Philippe Frenois for the WBF world featherwight title on the night. When offered a place on the bill, he jumped at the chance – “I can’t let an opportunity like this go”, he told The Mayo News – and has pulled out of next weekend’s ‘The Fighting West’ event in Galway.
Eade’s last outing came in January against Hungarian Csaba Toth, and he has been in demand as a sparring partner, though a plan to prepare Andy Murray for the Cavan man’s European title fight fell through. “I’m flying,” reports the Eagle Boxing Club member, who has been sparring at the Golden Cobra club in Jobstown, Dublin.
“The whole family are coming to beat me up today!” Eade joked when we spoke last week, as he was due to spend a day in the ring with brothers Patrick, Paul and Eddie Hyland – all of whom are on the bill.
“It’s really good sparring. The lads are gentlemen, and I’m getting great advice from them, and from their father, Paddy, in between rounds. It’s brilliant. “I’m really looking forward to getting back in the National Stadium again.”
Tickets for the event – which also include an Irish light middleweight title fight between Gary O’Sullivan and Robbie Long, and Ciaran Healy’s meeting with Brendan Fitzpatrick – cost €25, €45 and €65 (ringside).
They are available from Finbarr Eade on 087 6140981.