The Vest Still Fits – Jack Marley Targets LA 2028
The time, the place and the opponent all proved perfect, as Jack Marley maintained his perfect National Elite Championship record at the National Stadium last Friday night.
The Monkstown heavyweight claimed a fourth National Elite crown, at just 21, when he won a highly anticipated Dublin derby decider on Irish boxing’s blue ribbon night.
It was the ideal scenario for the popular Dub, who pointed out, that everything played out perfectly.
While some of the Paris Olympians elected against weighing in and competing, Irish sport’s newest ‘Big Jack’ wanted to get ring action in before a new year and felt there was no better to do so than the home of Irish boxing during the Elites.
Marley also felt Nathan Ojo was the ideal final opponent, not only because the World Youth Championship medal winner provided a test but he brought a style to the table that the champion wants more exposure to.
Like, Davlat Boltaev, who knocked Marley out of the Olympics, Esker BC’s Ojo is a tricky hard-to-hit mover.
“I’m happy with my performance. Nathan Ojo is a tricky operator. He’s medalled at Worlds and he’s a top-class operator, hard to hit. That’s exactly the kind of experience I need right now, especially after Paris and being beaten by a tricky and slippy operator in the Tajikis Tajiki. I definitely needed that.
“I just feel in the right place at the right time. There’s nothing better than fighting here. It’s good to be out a month before Christmas too. I can enjoy a bit of Christmas and then we’ll be ready for whatever’s on in January or February instead of our last fight being as far back as August at the Olympics. If you did that and tried to go to Stranja or these tournaments in January or February you’d be screwed.
Marley was one of three Olympians to claim an Irish title in the ring at the latest installment of the domestic tournament, and he hopes to emulate the others, Michaela Walsh – who became Ireland’s most decorated champion with her 12th title win – and Aoife O’Rourke by becoming a two time Olympian.
“Hopefully, I get to go a second time,” he mentions with reference to LA 2028.
