Former Ireland coach Billy Walsh believes that Paddy Barnes can use the experience of his successful amateur boxing career to enjoy a thriving career as a professional fighter.
The Belfast boxer confirmed today that he had signed professional terms with Matthew Macklin’s MGM stable and his former coach believes that Barnes has all the tools needed to make it amongst the paid ranks of the sport.
“If he comes in with the same enthusiasm that he had in amateur boxing into the pro game, I see no reason why he can’t,” said Walsh, speaking on RTE Radio 1’s Drivetime.
“Because he has the heart of a lion and he has a work-rate and intensity that is one of the best in the world, and the skill-set to do so.
"If that’s the case, those guys should end up in jail. And no better place than to put them in jail than in Brazil. You don’t get out of there too easy.” - Walsh
“Paddy has been a world-class boxer for a decade or more. He has won medals at two Olympic Games. He has won European gold, European silver, two Commonwealth Games golds. This man has been one of the best light-flyweights in the world for the past decade.”
Walsh also had similar words for Barnes’ fellow Olympian Michael Conlan, who is also set to sign professional terms in the near future.
“Michael’s thoughts were always about going professional and he will definitely be one of our future world champions in the professional game.”
Walsh, who is set to be officially confirmed as the head coach of Team USA’s men’s and women’s amateur boxing teams, admitted that his heart and soul were with the Irish boxers while they were in the ring at the recent Rio Games, but said that he had no other influence on the team in Brazil.
"We had a good bond and there was a good relationship with everyone in the team and we all motivated each other to get the best out of each other.
"My heart and soul was in there with them every time they were in the ring but outside of that, I had no influence whatsoever.
"I don’t know if I was missed. We all had moved on. Enough words had been spoken about it so I had left it behind when I left Ireland."
The former Irish coach believes that Irish boxing suffered a real blow at the Olympics and feels that the powers that be need to draw a line in the sand and start planning for future Games.
“It put a dampener around the whole team,” said Walsh, speaking about Michael O’Reilly’s failed drug test.
“I happened to be in there when the news broke at the draw. Everybody was totally shocked because of the levels of education we go through to make sure we don’t have any doping failures.
“It was very difficult for the coaching staff, as they were left there high and dry. It was on the news before they were told about it and they were not given any chance to prepare. They looked like criminals getting onto the bus after the draw and it was terrible for them.
“They are three world-class coaches, so it would be a big shame to lose all that expertise. There is always going to be talent in Ireland.
“But it’s about starting again. Learning from this episode and driving on for the future and making sure that Irish boxing is successful again in the coming Olympics.”
Walsh also denied that he was in line to take over as director at the Institute of Irish Sport, dismissing the newspaper rumours as just “ink on paper”.
“What you know about it is what I know about it. I saw it in the paper like everybody else saw it and that’s as far as it is.”
Walsh admitted to being a little naive in relation to the suspected corruption within the amateur boxing game, but he offered strong words of advice on how to deal with anyone convicted of such offences.
“I’m probably a bit naive on this as I’d rather think that there isn’t [corruption]. I’d rather think that it was just poor judging.
“But if that’s the case, those guys should end up in jail. And no better place than to put them in jail than in Brazil. You don’t get out of there too easy.”
