Thomas Carty – “The aim is to win the Seniors”

Young Dublin super heavyweight Thomas Carty smashed his way to a third Irish title at the weekend.

The Glasnevin big man claimed top prize at the National Under-22 Championships in Dublin, powering past Rathkeale’s Cian O’Shaughnessy in the final. Carty would not get out of second gear during the fight and landed numerous big single shots without ever getting drawn into a fire-fight.

The win capped a brilliant night for Jimmy Halpin’s Glasnevin BC who had earlier seen titles for flyweight Jordan Moore and heavyweight Geoffrey Kavanagh.

The straight-talking Carty always knew that he would make it three for the Northside club, and admitted to Irish-Boxing.com that “I had a tougher fight last week, tougher opposition in John McDonald. So I knew coming in, but you can’t take it for granted at the same time.”

“It was a good fight. I got in, caught him with a few nice shots and then he went a bit negative. So I thought, rather than risk anything and get caught with a silly shot, I’d just see it out”

“But there were some nice shots and it was a big improvement from last year. Credit to your man there. He put up a great fight and he’s only a young lad.”

Still only 21, the big punching Dub has developed massively since exploding onto the senior at the last Senior Elite Championships and he explained that “I’m after been training with the High Performance for the last year since the Seniors. The strength and conditioning with John Cleary is brilliant. He’s after working an awful lot with me.”

“I felt a lot physically stronger this year, I feel like I’m physically turning into a man, just about, not there yet but I’m getting there.”

While the European Under-22 Championships in March are possibility, Carty has his sights set on much bigger prizes.The Dubliner is aiming to mark himself out as the #1 big man in Ireland.

Carty predicted that “I’m going to get called up now for squad training for the 22s Europeans in Romania, but it’ll be up to myself. The aim is to win the Seniors and do whatever you’re doing with the Elites. That’s the aim anyway, but we’ll take it as it comes because this [Under-22s] is a great title to win. There’s no handy Irish title at this age.

A runner-up to Dean Gardiner in the last Senior Elites, Carty is hoping for revenge over Breakfast, and wouldn’t mind a pop at the current Intermediate champ as well.

Carty, who won the Intermediate title back in 2012 as a 17 year old, stated that “it’s good now before the Elites to get two fights in. I’m bringing a lot more to the Seniors now than I was last year.”

“There’s a lad, Martin Keenan, who I want to get my hands on next! Him and Dean Gardiner I’ll be looking for. Mostly Dean Gardiner though, I wouldn’t bother much about your man Keenan.”

“Hopefully I get a nice draw, get him [Keenan] early, and get him out of the way.”

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

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