THEIR BOUTS TONIGHT night may have been their final outings in front of a home crowd before competing at the Rio Olympics, but Belfast duo Michael Conlan and Paddy Barnes have insisted it was not necessarily a goodbye to the National Stadium.
Both world champion Conlan and three-time Olympian Barnes will be fancied to medal at this summer’s Games and the pair have continually suggested that they are likely to turn professional if they manage to claim gold.
The Belfast boys were both in action at a Test match event against Russian opposition at the National Stadium, but the pair were reluctant to say it was their farewell to the South Circular Road venue and their domestic amateur careers.
“It could be the last time I step into this ring, but I’m not emotional – it’s another ring, another arena – and I’m sure I’ll be in it again,” said Conlan. “Hopefully if I go pro I’ll get a wee show here, although I don’t know if it holds enough people,” joked the Falls Road bantamweight.
Barnes was equally unemotional as he maintains his focus on winning gold in Rio after claiming back-to-back bronze medals in Beijing and London.
“I couldn’t care less about those things – I don’t know if I’ll be back – I’m just focused on the job I have to do,” said Barnes when asked on whether he was waving farewell to the Stadium as a fight venue.
The pair were also dismissive of fears surrounding the Zika virus, insisting it is not a concern for the Irish team.
Eight Irish boxers have qualified for Rio, but only five of them were in action on Friday evening with Barnes, Conlan, Brenan Irvine, Steven Donnelly and Joe Ward all taking part in the Test event which doubled up as a celebration to honour the Rio Olympic team.
No scores were kept during the evening’s bouts as the exhibitions were part of a training camp with the Russian squad, which is set to continue at the National Sports Campus in Abbotstown next week.
Lightweight David Oliver Joyce (neck) and middleweight Michael O’Reilly (hand) were excused from duty last night to rest slight injury niggles, while Katie Taylor did not feature either, although the Olympic champion was introduced to the crowd along with the rest of the Rio 2016 team
Elsewhere, Mayo light-welterweight Ray Motlette may yet increase Ireland’s Olympic boxing contingent as he competes in the final ‘professional’ qualifier in Vargas, Venezuela, which gets underway on Sunday.
