PADDY BARNES IS confident that he and his boxing team-mates are capable of coming home from the Olympic Games with a record haul of medals this summer.
As team captain, the 29-year-old sees no reason why every member of Ireland’s travelling squad can’t return with either a bronze, silver or gold medal.
“It’s not even far-fetched to say every boxer can get a medal because it’s definitely realistic,” claimed the Belfast ace. ”It’s the strongest team we’ve ever sent to the Olympic Games.
“We’ve a team full of world champions, European champions, Olympic champions and European medalists. It’s a team with crazy talent.
“I’m not even saying this because I’m part of the team but realistically, we can come home with eight medals.”
Barnes, who will be competing at his third Olympics in Brazil, doesn’t see any weak link in the Irish squad and feels that there could be one or two surprise packages such as Stephen Donnelly in August.
“Not many people know [Donnelly]. He qualified through the World Series of Boxing and people wouldn’t have seen him qualify,” continued Barnes.
“He’s a brilliant boxer. He trains really hard and he’s talented. I’m expecting big things from him.”
Barnes’ vast experience means that he has been made favourite to claim the gold medal in the men’s 49kg division in Rio.
However, the double bronze medalist doesn’t believe his experience will count for much once they kick off.
“Experience helps a wee bit because you know what to expect, but in a fight, experience doesn’t really matter.
“It doesn’t really factor. It’s a 3×3-minute fight and anything can happen because it’s fast-paced.
“The people that you’re fighting are at the Olympics for a reason. They’re very good boxers and are experienced themselves so you don’t have the edge over anybody.”
The prospects of a professional career after the Olympics have been stirring in the Belfast native’s head but he has refused to let it interrupt his preparation.
When the time eventually comes to cross to professional ranks, the light flyweight believes that his progression through his division will be quick.
“Post Rio, I’ll be sitting down to see what my next move is.
“If I was to start professional, I wouldn’t really need to be working my way up the ranks. I’d be in at the deep end because I’ve been doing the World Series of Boxing.
“It’s similar to pro. It’s five rounds with no vest on, against top class amateurs, so that’s more or less my apprenticeship done.”
For now, eyes are firmly fixed on Brazil and the elusive gold medal. Billy Walsh won’t be in the Irish corner in Rio but the Irish team captain believes that corners become irrelevant as soon as you step inside the ropes.
“Micky Mouse and Donald Duck could be in our corner and we’d still fight the same way.
“It doesn’t matter who is in our corner. We’re all experienced and know the craic ourselves.”
As for Barnes’ own personal ambitions, the objective is clear.
“Anything else but gold would be a massive failure.”
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