‘Proud’ Dee Walsh Believes ‘Teen Tyson’ Can Become the Pride of Ireland
If boxing remains an Olympic sport beyond 2024 and Paris the fighter some call the ‘Teenage Tyson Fury’ will become Ireland’s first ever super heavyweight gold medal winner predicts Dee Walsh.
Jordie Cooke chatter has increased in volume as the prospect increased in size in recent years, with those within the fight game intrigued by the 6’4 14-year-old with standout skills.
Interest peaked further, as the Glean prospect fought on the international stage for the first time earlier this month and was part of the very successful European Schools Championships Irish Team.
Cooke took home bronze from the prestigious competition and was very unfortunate not to progress to the 90kg final in Turkey. His performances caught the eye and prompted more Fury comparisons, the kind of comparisons his long-time club coach, Walsh understands.
“People constantly make the comparison because of his size, movement and also his jab,” Walsh tells Irish-boxing.com before pointing out he hopes to add traits of other heavyweights to the emerging talents game.
“My hopes for him is to be the level of Fury Joshua and Usyk doing our whole country proud. It looks like he’ll never make the Olympics because boxing may not be in a part of the 2028 Olympics but I think he could have been Ireland’s first ever Olympic medalist at heavy.”
Winning Olympic gold or even reaching a Games takes a lot more than size and Walsh believes Cooke has that bit extra. Indeed, he is adamant Cooke’s height and the frame are by no means his best attribute.
“I personally think Jordie would have been National Champion whatever height he was. He’s way above average now but when he was boy 1 he was 52kg and won the Ulster title, so he was on his way to doing it. I work on a fighter’s skill all the time and Jordie puts the work in and he trains with my pros, so from what I see he’ll be successful no matter what weight or height he reaches.”
In fact, Walsh, who coaches pro like Padraig McCrory, Owen O’Neill, Colm Murphy, and Conor Quinn, claims it’s Cooke’s skill set, ring IQ, and movement that makes him stand out, pointing out it’s just more noticeable because he’s tall.
“I personally have never seen [someone so tall so skilled]. In his cadet final he had a great fight with a kid who was almost Jordie’s height and was skillful too it was a great fight. I mentioned to the other kid’s coach I’ve never seen two kids that young, that big or skillful fight each other here.”
Seeing Cooke on an international podium was a special moment for the Irish Coach of the Year. Cooke is the first fighter Walsh has trained from scratch so to see him achieve is special for the former Irish champion.
“I’m very proud of his achievements,” he adds.
“Jordie is the first kid I’ve trained from day one and to see the first medal internationally at the first opportunity reassures me I’m doing something right.”
