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Walsh leaving for America last October. Ryan Byrne/INPHO
Boxing

'I spent many nights on my own crying' - Billy Walsh reflects on leaving Ireland

The former head coach of the High Performance Unit opened up on Off The Ball earlier.

FOUR MONTHS AFTER his acrimonious departure from the Irish Amateur Boxing Association, Billy Walsh has spoken of his new life in America for the first time.

Featuring on Newstalk’s Off The Ball this evening, Walsh admitted he was left in tears during the fallout from his resignation as head coach of the High Performance Unit.

Walsh, who oversaw seven Olympic medals during his time in charge, left his role in October last year after eight months of unsuccessful contract negotiations with the IABA.

“Somebody spent four hours in the Dail debating about me leaving the country to go somewhere else,” he said.

“It’s an amazing thing to happen, something that I never would have wanted to happen because amateur boxing has been my life and the IABA has been life since the age of 7.

“In those eight months, I spent many nights on my own crying.”

Just days after Michael Conlan, Michael O’Reilly and Joe Ward all secured World Championship medals in Doha, Walsh confirmed his move to America to take up the head coach of the USA women’s boxing team position.

“It’s been good,” he said of the move. “It’s been very, very interesting. Obviously, moving and a change of culture. I have a team that haven’t been successful for the last couple of Olympic games, so there’s been lots of hard work, really going back to grassroots and I’m enjoying it.”

Walsh admitted it’s been ‘difficult’ to be away from his family and friends.

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