Brilliant Michael Nevin feels better than ever at middleweight

You would not have known that Michael Nevin was in a fight on Saturday afternoon.

The Portlaoise phenomenon won an amazing tenth Irish title at the National Stadium, beating Ballinacarrow’s Jason Clancy in the middleweight final, and the talented midlander barely seemed to break a sweat in doing so.

The three-time European Champion (schoolboy, junior, youth) at times seemed eerily like Joe Ward – powerful, quick, elusive, and economical with his punches. but stepped it up in the final round with an awe-inspiring attacking display.

Something of a gentle giant outside the ring, the unassuming Nevin spoke to Irish-Boxing.com after the win and explained how “the first round, while I won it, I was just getting going.”

“The second and third then I picked it up a small bit and I won it handy enough in the end.”

“I’m just happy with the result and that I’ll be going to the World Championships.”

It was a return to winning ways for Nevin who had lost in April’s Under-18 welterweight semi finals to Donegal’s Brett McGinty, and the move six kilos north seems to have benefited the Laois boxer greatly. He described how “I feel a lot stronger now at 75 than I did at 69. I feel a lot fitter, faster, now.”

IABA President and Portlaoise BC club man Pat Ryan heaped praise on Nevin, and joked that “I suppose we could talk for Ireland on Michael Nevin at the minute!”

“He’s after winning three European titles and it speaks volumes for himself.”

“I think the real attribute Michael has is that he has a wonderful attitude, he’s an extremely talented, skillful, boxer, and his application to his training and everything to do with being successful is commendable.”

“We’re very very proud of him.”