Irish boxing was dealt a body-blow today when confirmation of Billy Walsh's resignation filtered through the media, and many are heavily critical of the way the IABA have handled the situation.
Just days after celebrating Ireland's first ever men's gold medal at the boxing world championships, Irish boxing has now lost one of it's most important figures, and today the IABA, the Irish Sports Council, and of course Billy Walsh himself have all released statements, but now we have a reaction not only from 2012 Olympic gold medal winner Katie Taylor, but from her coach and a man believed by many to be Walsh's successor having worked with him for so long, Zaur Antia, who posted an emotional tribute to Walsh on Facebook:
13 years is not 13 days. In high performance sport 13 years can be many life times. 13 years we worked together, in...
Posted by Zaur Antia on Monday, October 19, 2015
The Georgian is a very popular man here in Ireland thanks to his work with Katie Taylor in particular, and Taylor herself expressed her shock at the situation while speaking at an event for Electric Ireland:
I'm very saddened by the news.
I genuinely thought it would be resolved. He was so important to me early in my career. I'm shocked to think he could be in the opposite corner in Rio.
That is a crazy thought, Walsh coaching the opponent of Katie Taylor in the 2016 Olympics, but it is also a very real possibility as US boxing have acquired an exceptional coach.
H/T: Independent.ie
