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McLaughlin considers
turning professional
21.08.08
Financial reality may
force William to turn his back on London 2012 dream
by Simon McGeady, Inishowen
Independent
ILLIES Golden Gloves boxer William McLaughlin’s
dreams of competing for Ireland at the Olympic Games
in London in four years time are under threat
because he cannot obtain the funding that would
allow him commit more fully to his sport. The
22-year old Irish International welterweight could
turn professional as early as next spring, a career
move that would exclude him from competing in future
Olympics. The Illies man would rather remain amateur
in the hope of competing at the next Olympics, but
insists he afford to do so if he does not receive a
grant from the Irish Sports Council.
William said it was hard to put a figure on how much
money he would need to stay amateur, but pointed out
that Irish Olympian Kenny Egan has been allocated
€40,000 a year for the last few years.
“London 2012 would be a big aim of mine and if I got
a grant from the Sports Council I would have no
problem’s staying amateur. But so far I’ve never had
any funding. It’s very hard to motivate yourself to
keep going down to Dublin if it is costing you money
and not the other boys. |
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“The grant is paid out
monthly and you’d have to be getting it every year.
The money is what [keeps] most of them boys down
there [with the high performance team] they will
even tell you that themselves. Only there’s good
funds coming in they would all be turning pro or
doing something else entirely. It’s very hard for me
to be going the whole way down to Dublin and not get
anything for it,” said William.
At the end of the month William will resume training
with Illies Golden Gloves. Then there is a box off
in Dublin for the Senior European Open in Liverpool
in November.
“If I get through I will be in down |
with the high
performance team in Dublin, but getting no money.
There is not much point in me going down to Dublin
to train when I can fight in Belfast or go to
America and get paid,” added William.
He knows the professional route will be tough but
believes that this more aggressive form of boxing
would suit his style.
“I’d be getting hit with a lot harder punches, and
the gloves are smaller, but that suits my style, I
like to come forward and throw body and headshots. I
know pros gonna be a hard game if I do go, but if I
don’t like it I’ll be quitting it, that’s just the
way it’s going to be.
“It’s hard to get scored in amateur boxing, that’s
why there are so many bad decisions. I don’t know
what judges are looking at some times, I think the
pro game would suit me a lot more. The All Irelands
are on in December and I’ll hold off on a decision
on my future until after then.”
All five boxers of Ireland’s boxers at the Olympics
won at least one bout and three, Kenny Egan, Darren
Sutherland and Paddy Barnes, are as of today
[Tuesday], one win away from at least a bronze
medal.
The Olympic Games in London will be the closest
Ireland gets to a home Olympics and many athletes,
such as Raphoe Badminton star Chloe Magee are
targeting these games to peak and challenge for
medals. |
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