Billy Walsh says the decision to step down as head coach of Ireland’s boxing team reduced him to tears, but he said he was not prepared to “stoop any lower” in his dealings with the Irish Amateur Boxing Association.
Speaking on RTÉ News At One, Walsh said: “It’s been the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, it’s been mentally very, very stressful over the last eight months and it has taken its toll in some ways.
“I’ve been gutted this morning, I’ve spent a lot of time crying around this decision but I think it’s best for my health and for my future, I think it’s the best way for me to move on.”
The Wexford man, who last week led the Irish team to a gold, silver and bronze medals at the World Championships in Qatar, is set to take up a position with USA Boxing and revealed he could not come to an accord with the organisation.
“For my own dignity and respect I couldn’t stoop any lower"
He added: “For the last eight months I’ve been in contract negotiations with the IABA and we haven’t been able to find agreement over that period of time so I’ve decided it was time for me to move on. I had a deadline as well.
“People from America were offering me the position over there as their head coach and I had to either take that or leave it.
"I pushed it back eight months to allow for everything to be resolved but unfortunately it didn’t happen.
“Shortly, I’ll be in Colorado Springs working with USA Boxing and trying to qualify their team for the Rio Olympics and Tokyo [Olympics] beyond that. So it’s a long-term venture that gives me a bit of security.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to work with the biggest nation in the world, which has sadly slipped from the radar around amateur boxing.
"There’s a massive amount of talent over there if you can put a system in place that we’ve achieved here in Ireland, I think they could be the best nation in the world.”
Asked why the situation couldn’t be resolved, Walsh said: “I don’t know. I think you better ask the IABA rather than ask myself. We had agreed on a few occasions and still nothing came of it so we obviously didn’t have an agreement.
“Look it, it was a bit of respect around your role and position, being able to lead your team through to Rio, and have the autonomy to do your job.
“I’ve went back time after time, been rejected on different occasions and went back to go and try and make this thing work. For my own dignity and respect I couldn’t stoop any lower.
“The last 13 or 14 years have been the greatest years of my life, working at my own sport. I started in the game when I was seven years of age and I’ve done everything right through, been the champion from 14 years of age up.
"I actually fought in an Olympic Games myself, captained the team.
“And then to manage the team and to lead the team through the last few Olympic Games has been a phenomenal dream come true for me, and anyone who knows me knows I’m Irish to the core and unfortunately this has driven me to somewhere else.”
In a development on Monday night, the Minister of State with responsibility for sport has asked the head of the Sports Council to contact Billy Walsh to try and get him to stay in his role as head coach of the Irish Boxing Team.
Speaking in Claremorris, Minister Michael Ring said the issue was not about money but he wanted to see whatever problems that were there dealt with.
He said Billy Walsh was the best coach Ireland ever had and he was making himself available to play whatever role he could in resolving the crisis.
The IABA has said that it accepted Walsh’s resignation “with regret” and that it did its “utmost to retain” his services.
The statement went on to thank Walsh for his service and wish him the best with USA Boxing.
It read: "The IABA has been in discussions with Billy following his approach to the organisation to seek improved terms and conditions after he stated that he had received an offer from USA Boxing.
"The IABA is deeply disappointed not to retain his valued services, and for the avoidance of any doubt, the IABA has done its utmost to retain Billy Walsh as head coach.
"However, Billy himself has made the decision to resign and take up a position with USA Boxing, and we wish him every success with this.”
Meanwhile, RTÉ News understands that Walsh has yet to sign a final deal.
He is due to fly to America later this week and terms have been agreed but no contract has yet been signed.
