AFTER a difficult 2011 Carlow’s Irish lightweight youth boxing champion Dylan Carr is back on course to fulfil his boxing ambition which will see him move up to senior men’s grade in 2013.
This in turn would give him an opportunity to fight in European and World boxing events which would give him a platform to compete for a place on the 2016 Irish Olympic boxing team.
The 17-year-old signalled a return to full fitness when he won the 60kg national open youths title in January.
This and his overall progress were recognised when he won the Irish junior boxer of the year award at the Irish Amateur Boxing Association at the Green Isle Hotel in Dublin recently.
With champions from 13 different weight divisions up for the award, he scooped the top prize.
He is in good company as a former winner is Joe Ward who claimed a senior men’s European gold medal in Turkey last year.
In early 2011 the Carlow boxer knew everything was not right. In the previous year his training schedule was interrupted by periods of sickness.
The former European schools bronze medallist made a number of rash decisions which included competing in the national championships in January.
Perhaps his subsequent defeat was a blessing in disguise.
It gave him and his parents, Tracey and John, a chance to review where they were going.
“He knew he was sick. He knew he shouldn’t have got into the ring that day,” said his mother.
“A reality check,” concurred the boxer. The fi rst step was an operation to remove his tonsils. That took place four days after his loss. It wasn’t until July that Carr got back into action.
The fact that he was a high profile member of the high performance squad probably helped him and he was invited to take part in a round robin international in Dublin. It was a mixed return for the former champion.
He beat an Italian opponent but went down in a bout against an English boxer.
The national title was his next goal. Coming up to the finals he was in good shape. “I wasn’t worried at all. I was in the best condition I was ever in; first time I was able to get in three months training without getting sick,” Carr said.
He won four bouts but survived a semi-final scare when narrowly avoiding defeat on count back. “That was scary but I boxed brilliant in the final,” explained the Carlow lightweight.
His next move is a stint with a Russian training camp in Dublin.
Then it is the National Youths championship in May which is a qualifying round to get the World Youths championship in October. “I will be fl at out now,” he said.
There is much to look forward to. The national junior award is also something to treasure.
“It was great. To get that sort of recognition and to get an award the same night as Katie Taylor and many other senior boxers was unbelievable,” he said.
He is confident that Taylor, who he sometimes spars with, will win an Olympic medal for Ireland. “The best condition I have ever seen her,” he reckons.