Brendan Irvine – ‘I feel better at 52kg’
Brendan Irvine booked his place in the National Elite flyweight final last night with a comprehensive win over underage stand-out Willie Donoghue.
The St Paul’s ABC man will now face TJ Waite in Friday’s final.
Following the victory over the recent European Youth bronze medalist, Irvine noted that “I’m happy to get the first win”
“I just listened to what my coaches said. The gameplan was to draw him in and box him and just get on with it.”
The fight was Irvine’s first at flyweight following the step up from 49kg where he won a European Games bronze medal, and the 19 year old admitted that “I feel a bit better, I’ve been working hard with my strength and conditioning coach.”
“I look a bit different and feel a bit different as well.”
“I’m still tall enough at the weight too.”
A deliberate move, Irvine know that these championships are all about putting himself on the plane to next year’s Olympic qualifiers, and reasoned that “I hope it benefits me and puts me on the road to Rio.”
