SHELLSHOCKED St Anne’s Ray Moylette cannot hide his disbelief after losing on a split decision to Dean Walsh in last Friday night’s 64kg National Final in Dublin. Pic: Adrian Melia
Daniel Carey
RAY Moylette says he’s in ‘no-man’s land’ after controversially losing the light welterweight final at the Irish National Elite Boxing Championships to Dean Walsh on Friday.
The Islandeady boxer was left ‘heartbroken’ after losing a split decision to his Wexford opponent at the National Stadium. He admits the future is now uncertain.
“I just feel lost,” he told The Mayo News yesterday (Monday). “What do I train for now? I always knew what I was doing next, no matter what it was. I don’t know what I’m going doing now. I’m not making any rash decisions; I’m going to continue boxing. But I don’t know where to look now, that’s all.”
Moylette was so incensed by the judges’ decision that he refused to accept his silver medal, and vowed over the weekend never to box in the National Stadium again.
Asked yesterday if that’s how he still felt, the former European champion admitted that he was still wrestling with what to do next.
“Well, the Stadium is the home of Irish boxing, [and] I’ve had many great days there,” he began. “I was a bit hot-headed when I came out of the ring, and that was my initial reaction. I’d love to box again, but how can I go up there and box in front of the same people that have done that to me, with their decision-making? Would I give them the chance to let them do it to me again? That’s what I’ve to ask myself.”
The boxer’s comments came as his coach, Martin Brennan, called for a box-off to decide whether Moylette or Walsh goes to represent Ireland at the Olympic qualifier in Istanbul, Turkey in April.
“It was a farce, the whole thing,” said Brennan. “I was very surprised that it was even a split decision. It’s a terrible injustice.”
