Ross Hickey - Army Man

IRELAND'S light-welterweight champion Ross Hickey is used to disarming opponents inside the ring.

But his decision to learn those same skills outside of it and in the world's war-torn regions has worked against him this week.

The Irish amateur side hit Turkey this week but left behind three senior champions - Hickey, Paddy Barnes and Adam Nolan.

The latter pair have been hit by the hand/wrist injury curse that plagues our vested boxers, but Hickey's decision was effectively his own.

The Grangeon BC fighter joined the army a few months back but his crucial 'passing out' period clashed with the pre-European Championships training trip to Germany.

Although there was little he could do about the timing of his graduation, his omission remains puzzling.

And the fact that he wouldn't be around for the preparations convinced head coach Billy Walsh that he needed a replacement at 64kg.

Beaten finalist Phil Sutcliffe has yet more trouble with his hand, so Mayo man Ray Moylette boarded the plane - just like he did for the trip to Ze Fatherland last month.

Reflecting on Hickey's announcement, made just before he won Boxer of the Tournament at the Elite Seniors in February, Walsh admitted he was surprised by the 24-year-old's choice ahead of an Olympic year.

He felt that Hickey undersold his own ability to win the seniors, having bagged bronze at the 2008 Europeans but failed to pick up a national title since.

Perhaps, he mused, the weight off his shoulders and job security aided Hickey's ability to outbox all around him at the National Stadium at the beginning of the year.

Walsh said: "He was outstanding at the seniors and is at that age now, 24, 25 where he could make a really big impact in the major tournaments.

"But he came to me just before them and said he'd entered the army. I think he'd been afraid to say something before.

"I just said 'what?' It is a blow alright, to him and to us. The army are normally great with this thing but I understand that you can’t miss your initial phase of training, and that’s what Ross is doing.

“Michael Carruth managed to mix the two with no problems but it was different back then. Ross had it in his hands, and he took it out.”

There will be box-offs for September's World Championships and Olympic qualifiers, a month prior in August. So all is not exactly lost, even if he will regret leaving this opportunity behind.

By then he will have passed out and the army press officer has confirmed that he will be free to go. Whether or not he enters those in his peak is another matter, having missed this week's action in Turkey. 


Plus, it would have offered the talented fighter a shot to gauge himself against many of Europe's best and assert his No 1 status here.


Walsh added: "He took himself out of the position. Four years is a long time, and maybe he was afraid he wouldn't win the seniors when they came around.

"He has to look at having a career outside of boxing - you don't get looked after when you're finished - and that's fair enough.

"But don't forget he's a European bronze medallist from 2008 and would have featured in our team. It's disappointing that he can't now."

Irish 2011 European Elite Championships Squad

52Kg: Michael Conlon (St John Bosco)
56Kg: John Joe Nevin (Cavan)
60Kg Michael McDonagh (St Mary's)
64Kg: Ray Moylette (St Anne's)
69Kg: Willie McLaughlin (Illies GG)
75Kg: Darren O'Neill (Paulstown)
81Kg: Joe Ward (Moate)
91Kg: Con Sheehan (Clonmel)
91+Kg: Cathal McMonagle (Holy Trinity)