Rise of the Rooster sees Irvine go from fan to team mate

Brendan Irvine has gone from being a spectator to being part of the spectacle.

The 20 year old St Paul’s ABC fighter watched London 2012 play out from the comfort of his own home but is currently in Rio planning a medal assault alongside the boxers he watched reach the podium in the last Olympiad.

The rapid ascension hasn’t been lost on the youngster who hadn’t even started secondary school when Paddy Barnes was winning his first Olympic medal.

“19 years old and to have qualified for the Olympics is amazing, especially for my club, my club’s only going five years, St Paul’s, so it’s great not only for me and my family, but for the coaches at the club,” he told IABA TV.

“I sat in the house four years ago and watched the Olympics with Darren O’Neill, Katie Taylor, Paddy Barnes, Adam Nolan and Michael all fighting.”

“Four years latter I am sharing a room with Darren when trying to qualify.”

Irvine also explained how the Olympics has always been the ultimate dream and how he believes all eight of Ireland’s Rio 2016 boxers have the ability to medal.

“I have that fire burning in my belly. When I was a kid I never dreamt of making the European or World Championships it was always about the Olympics.”

“There’s no reason why any of us shouldn’t bring medals home especially with the work we have put in over the last couple of months – and I think it will show in the Olympics.”

Watch Brendan Irvine’s interview in full below:

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)