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.
","author_name":"News Ireland"}