JON MACKEY tackles Michael Conlan’s criticism of Irish boxing in the first of a two-part interview with Kevin Byrne on The Rocky Road.

Speaking at the Sport Ireland Institute, Boxing Ireland’s High Performance Director discusses the problems he inherited in April 2025, the disconnect between coaching and sports science and why Ireland’s male boxers have struggled to win medals.

Mackey spent nearly eight years as Canoeing Ireland’s Performance Director and led national kickboxing teams, but his roots are in Dublin’s inner-city boxing clubs.

He gives his account of long-serving head coach Zaur Antia’s departure for Team USA and discusses whether complacency crept in after Rio.

And he explains why interim head coach Damian Kennedy wants Ireland’s boxers on the front foot rather than waiting for opponents to make their move.

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Today on The Rocky Road, we are joined for the first time by Gary Stewart, CEO of Boxing Ireland (formerly the IABA). Originally from Cumbria, Gary's lifelong passion for sport eventually led him to Ireland after meeting his Wicklow wife, and he has recently celebrated the birth of his second son. Bringing a wealth of experience from Sport Ireland and a transformative tenure as CEO of Volleyball Ireland, Gary steps into Irish boxing with serious energy, seeing untapped potential across every corner of the sport.

In a wide-ranging conversation, we discuss why key structural moves - such as introducing a dedicated Pathway Development Lead and making the Elite Championships effectively mandatory for squad selection - are crucial first steps for the association. Gary opens up about the ambition to bring major international tournaments back to Irish shores, exploring how a vibrant calendar can help retain top young talent against the pull of professional promoters. We also dive into tapping new revenue streams, elevating the sport's national profile and his push to bring Irish amateur boxing back to free-to-air terrestrial television. Finally, we tackle the realities of grassroots funding, why every club in Ireland should consider applying for the Community Sport Facilities Fund, some of the flaws in the current application model and how Boxing Ireland is lobbying the Government for long-term operational support.

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.