Brett McGinty has been named on an 18-strong Irish squad ahead of three meetings with the USA in America this month.
Oekaleaf ABC’s McGinty and the Irish team, which includes 12 recently-crowned Irish Elite champions, leave for the States on Thursday.
Ireland face the USA in Boston on March 12, in Springfield on March 15 and in New Hampshire on March 21.
St Johnston man McGinty is one of three Irish middleweights on the squad.
His conqueror from last month’s middleweight final, Michael Nevin from Portlaoise, will also be on the plane as will Clonard’s Gerard French.
Lauren Hogan, Kellie Harrington, Grainne Walsh, Aoife Burke, Dean Gardiner, Kiril Afanasev, Caoimhin Agyarko-Hynes, Nevin, Kieran Molloy, Wayne Kelly, George Bates and Evan Mecalfe, who all claimed Irish Elite belts, line out against the Americans.
The Irish squad, led by head coach Zaur Antia, are trebling up at both middleweight and light-welter.
Mike Tyson’s conqueror Kevin McBribe from Monaghan has been named honorary Irish captain for the three meetings. Boston-based McBride, who stopped Tyson in Tyson’s last fight in Washington in 2005, will lead out Team Ireland.
Bernard Dunne, IABA High-Performance Director, said they were eagerly looking forward to three top class internationals with the Americans.
“It’s a great opportunity to develop a partnership between us and the American team because we are not competing against each other to qualify for major tournaments out there, he said.
“We’re bringing out a young team. It’s a developing team and it’s an opportunity to have a look at them in this environment.
“I’m sure it’s going to be a lively atmosphere at all the bouts because it’s the St Patrick’s festival and Ireland versus the USA always attracts attention.
“We have a young team, but they’ve got talent. We have talented young boxers coming through that have been coached in their clubs and developed in their clubs. They’re coming to us with a skill set and we polish them off and bring them to the next level.”
Former Irish head coach, Billy Walsh, now chief seconds with the USA, has named a top team for the series.
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