Brotherly Glove – Irish Boxing Has a New Set of Siblings to Look Out For
Irish boxing has a new set of siblings to look out for.
Irish boxing has had a love affair with the family affair since organised boxing began. The parent-child coach-fighter relationship is one that always fascinates fight followers and is something uniquely successful in Irish boxing, the boxing steeped family who keep an amateur club afloat is something that slips under the wider radar but is appreciated within the sport, just like the coaching batton being handed down from generation to generation.
However, it’s the fighting siblings that fight fans love the most and again it’s something Irish boxing has excelled at. Of the current crop you have the brother and sister Aidan and Michaela Walsh who were the first brother and sister boxing duo to ever compete at the Olympic Games, the O’Rourke sisters Aoife and Lisa aren’t doing to bad either, while Jake and Kane Tucker were standout underage siblings now ready to make an impact at senior level.
In the pros there’s the McKenna brothers, Stevie and Aarron and over the years you’ve had the Hyland brothers Paulie, Pajo and Eddie, who all won Irish titles with and without vests. The list goes on and there are far too many to mention.
However, a new set of brothers caught the eye over recent weeks and earned themselves some spotlight.
The Doyle brothers Christian and Calvin became the first Olympic Mullingar siblings to qualify for European competition in the same season thanks to Irish title wins this summer.
13-year-old Christian claimed National Junior Cadet at 48kg and was this week confirmed in the Irish European Schools Championship Team to travel to Turkey early in August. His older brother,14-year-old Calvin claimed the Senior Cadet national title at 50kgs over the weekend and will represent Ireland on the European stage in Italy in September.
Keeping it in the family that bit further the pair, who now have five Irish titles between them, are coached by the father Alan Doyle.
Speaking to Irish-boxing.com Doyle snr revealed the brothers in arms having been pushing each other toward success and started sparring in their sitting room as toddlers.
“They are sparring since they are 3 and 4. They started sparring in our sitting room and continued to spar there ip until a year ago when we built our our own gym.
“They spar each other at least once a month now ,very competitive sparring they do three minute rounds together. They push each other to their limits ,we call our selves Team Doyle. We spar two nights a week with different clubs and the rest we train at home we take one days rest.
“They help each other out alot but there is a competitive streak between them. I believe there plenty of benefits of them working with me and beside each other, as there is a strong team bond between the 3 of us.”
