Boxing has delivered seven of Ireland’s eight medals in all sports at the past two Olympics and this weekend two of those medal holders Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan can book their place at Rio 2016.
Two-time Olympic bronze medallist Barnes currently sits at the top of the WSB light-flyweight rankings and should the Belfast man win his final bout in the WSB series in Venezuela on Saturday night, then a place on the plane to Rio is guaranteed.
Fellow Belfast fighter Conlan, meanwhile, needs a win and also must rely on his nearest competitor to lose his fight if the flyweight Olympic bronze medallist is to book his spot with a top-two finish.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, head coach to the Ireland boxing team Billy Walsh said: “If Paddy actually wins his contest he will qualify for the Olympic Games. There’s nobody in his league that can catch him in the points race.
“He’s had a phenomenal 14 weeks. He’s had seven contests and if wins this one it will be seven victories, so that would qualify him for Rio.
“Michael Conlan is in a position that if he wins he will go into second place. It depends on a Russian who is then fighting and he needs to lose the fight for Michael to qualify.
“It’s probably been under the radar but the guys have been working extremely hard towards qualification so far out from the Games.”
It has become increasingly harder to qualify for the Olympic boxing event but despite this Walsh hopes to have five or six Irish fighters in Brazil.
“It’s been a phenomenal feat for these guys,” adds Walsh. “All of their fights have been won outside of Ireland. Qualification has been the difficult piece for us.
“In Sydney 2000 we had one boxer, in Athens 2004 we had one boxer. It’s been a difficult process but once we get our numbers there our guys can bring home the bacon.”
