BARRY MCGUIGAN. PADDY BARNES. Michael Conlon. Wayne McCullough. Jim McCourt.
It’s a stellar list of names Jake Tucker dreams of joining.
No other sport has delivered as much success to Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games, McGuigan, Barnes, Conlon, McCullough and McCourt five of the 13 from the province to have won gold.
He doesn’t have to wander far to get a sense of that history. Gerry Hamill, a gold medallist at the 1978 Commonwealths, lives three miles from his Banbridge home, while the Emerald Boxing Club in Belfast, where he trains, has history on its walls.
Bernard Dunne – the former featherweight world champion – was guided by Harry Hawkins, Tucker’s coach. John Conlon – Michael’s father – has also coached the youngster, a superb middleweight prospect who has been selected for this year’s Games in Birmingham.
They are now just 81 days away but the clock can’t tick fast enough. He’s been waiting for a chance like this since he was five-years-old, the first time he entered a boxing club, and buzzed off the feeling he got when his gloves were laced, the sound they made when they thudded off pads, the positive vibes that came when he realised his hand-eye coordination was a gift from the Gods.
Go ahead big lad 🥊🥊🥊 pic.twitter.com/NOGLAVp5Ow
— TEAM TUCKER (@TEAMTUCKER4) May 6, 2022
“I just loved it. And do you know what? I’m still in love with it,” he says.
For those who don’t know the sport, there’s always a bit of a mystery behind a boxer’s attachment to such an unforgiving trade.
He could have taken a different route for he was a talented Gaelic footballer, too. Down’s underage mentors were keeping an eye on him but when he reached his teenage years, he knew he had to make a decision: football or boxing.
“Dad (Barry) said to me, ‘Go full-steam at one, not half-hearted at both’.”
Boxing won. And since then Jake has been winning, Jake and older brother, Kane. Between them they have won 18 Irish titles throughout the age groups as schoolboys, juniors, youths. Kane has also fought at the world men’s elite championships; both brothers appearing in three European underage championships, each winning back-to-back Ulster senior titles.
Getting the call to go to Birmingham was no surprise; the shock was only one of the Tuckers got selected, Kane being such a talented operator, too.
Jake, the younger of the two boys, has a chance of glory. Those who know the trade speak of the extra fraction of a second he creates for himself with his movement, how his footwork opens up a whole world of opportunity.
Congratulations to Jake being selected for Team NI for this summers CWGs @birminghamcg22 Time to shine champ 🥊🥊 @banbridgechron @Irishboxingcom @eosits pic.twitter.com/F7lD4frH6E
— TEAM TUCKER (@TEAMTUCKER4) May 4, 2022
“Back when I was making that decision between football and boxing, I couldn’t help think that if you are in a team, you can play amazing (stuff) but if the other 14 players aren’t playing great, you could end up losing a game because of it.
“But boxing is not like that. What I really like about it is knowing that if I don’t perform, it’s on me; it’s me not doing the preparation. So, from early on, I knew if I worked at the sport, I could make it.”
He has. Fighting in the Commonwealths is a big deal. John Conteh won that middleweight title back in the 70s; Lennox Lewis getting a super-heavyweight gold in 1986.
Around him, club mates Michaela Walsh and Aidan Walsh are also aiming for the podium, Aidan having already experienced that feeling in Tokyo.
This will be the 21st country boxing has taken Tucker to, New York, Washington, the cities he enjoyed visiting most, the pay-off for sacrificing the nights out and the other stuff every teenager enjoys. “Look, the sport has been great for me; I’ve seen places I’d never have otherwise seen,” Tucker says. “Sure, you might miss the odd concert but I was in Italy last week. You’d rather be in Italy boxing than going to a gig.”
The gig he’s going to in June is a big one. So far Northern Ireland has delivered 61 medals. He wants to make it 62.
“It’s brilliant to know I am a part of the most successful sport in Ireland’s Olympic history. By doing the exact same training as Olympic gold and bronze medallists, I know I have the right preparation behind me and the potential to go for the gold in the Commonwealths.
“What we do, you know, it’s a pride thing. You definitely want to make your family proud; the support we get from them is unbelievable. You see the (Facebook) posts from cousins all over the world and it really does make you want to push on harder and keep achieving.”
Remember his name; you’ll be hearing a lot more of it.
