Unknown Brendan Irvine focused on Olympic goal

At 20 years old, Brendan Irvine will be the youngest member of Ireland’s boxing team at the upcoming Rio Olympics, but he isnt going to Brazil for a holiday.

It could be said that Tokyo 2020 will be the Wee Rooster’s real time to shine, but the Belfast flyweight is still aiming for the podium next month.

Indeed there is something of a precedent. Last time out in London, another 20 year old flyweight from Belfast called Michael Conlan exceeded expectations and claimed bronze.

At the weekend Irvine took on Russian Chingiz Natyrov at the National Stadium in a test international, getting in three good rounds of action, and spoke Irish-Boxing.com afterwards.

The St Paul’s ABC fighter feels that a journey to the Olympic Games so early in his career certainly helps to take off the pressure as “no one really knows who I am to be honest, I’ve only really broke into the squad.”

“For me, I can go and enjoy it.”

Nevertheless, Irvine is not going to make up the numbers, and has proven in his short international career that he can mix it with the best light flyweights and flyweights in the World.

The European Games silver medalist is mild-mannered, but intensely determined, and explained that “I know when I get there [Rio] I’ll be focused on what I want and I hope I achieve it.”

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