Conor Ahern has replaced 2008 National senior flyweight champion Shane Cox on the Ireland team for the second last Olympic qualifier for European boxers in Pescara, Italy later this month.
Cox, from the Gorey club in Wexford, was finding it increasingly difficult to make the 51kg weight limit and following intensive consultation with the IABA's Nutritionist, Physiologist, Doctor, High Performance Director Gary Keegan, and Cox himself, it was yesterday decided that he would be replaced by Ahern, of the Baldoyle club in Dublin.
Cox won his senior title following a thrilling 11-6 win over Rúairí Dalton at the National Stadium last month. Ahern missed the 2008 Senior Championships because he was suffering from vertigo.
Commentating on the change to the Irish squad for Pescara, Gary Keegan was full of praise for Cox and the effort he has put in at the Irish senior team's training camps over the last month.
He said: 'It took a lot of deliberation on our behalf to make the decision to replace Shane with Conor on the Irish team, but following due consultation with all interested parties, including Shane himself, it was accepted that this was the correct decision to make.
'Shane has worked incredibly hard at our training camps over the last few weeks and I have nothing but praise for his exceptional dedication and professionalism.
'This was a difficult decision to make on our behalf particularly with an Olympic qualifier just around the corner. However, it was accepted by all parties concerned that this was the correct decision to make.'
Cox, who remains a member of the IABA's High Performance Squad, will now have the full support to the IABA's science, medical and coaching staff in his endeavours to move up a weight.
Meanwhile, the Irish senior squad are currently in a training and sparring camp with the English and French teams at the National Stadium in Dublin.
Ireland will have a second Test match with France at the National Stadium this Saturday morning before the training and sparring camp concludes.
The Irish squad depart for their final training camp in Rome on 15 February before travelling to Pescara.
The second last Olympic qualifier for European boxers will take place in Pescara between 24 February and 3 March.
Irish Senior Squad:
48kg: Paddy Barnes (Holy Family)
51kg: Conor Ahern (Baldoyle)
54kg: John Joe Nevin (Cavan)
57kg: David Oliver Joyce (St Michael's Athy)
60kg: Ross Hickey (Grangecon)
64kg: John Joe Joyce (St Michael's Athy)
69kg: Roy Sheahan (St Michael's Athy)
75kg: Darren Sutherland (St Saviour's OBA)
81kg: Ken Egan (Neilstown)
91kg: Con Sheehan (Clonmel)
91+kg: Cathal McMonagle (Holy Trinity)
Worldwide Olympic Qualifying Calendar:
22-31 Jan: 1st Africa Qualifying Algiers, Algeria
24 Jan - 3 Feb: 1st Asia Qualifying Bangkok, Thailand
24 Feb - 3 Mar: Europe Qualifying Pescara, Italy
10 - 18 Mar: 1st America Qualifying Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
15 - 25 Mar: 2nd Asia Qualifying Astana, Kazakhstan
22 - 31 Mar: 2nd Africa Qualifying Windhoek, Namibia
Mar TBC Oceania Qualifying TBC
7 - 14 Apr: 2nd Europe Qualifying Athens, Greece
23 - 30 Apr: 2nd America Qualifying Guatemala City, Guatemala
