KELLIE HARRINGTON has not been listed in the Ireland squad for this month’s Women’s World Championships in Serbia.
The two-time Olympic champ retired after the 2024 Games in Paris but returned to training towards the end of the year and was named in the high performance senior squad in January.
Tommy McCarthy officially announced his retirement on Monday[/caption]
Harrington did not attend a training camp in China last month.
And, underlining her decision to retire, she said: “I’ll be following the girls, just watching their fights online and I know they’re going to do great because they’ve had great preparation . . . but I won’t be there.”
Eight Irish boxers will take part, including five Olympians — Daina Moorehouse, Jenny Lehane, Michaela Walsh, Gráinne Walsh and Aoife O’Rourke.
Also included is former rugby star Judy Bobbett, who lined out for Ireland during the 2020 Women’s Six Nations.
Boxing takes place from March 8-16, with Ireland departing on Thursday.
TEAM IRELAND: 48kg C Irving; 50kg D Moorehouse; 54kg J Lehane; 57kg M Walsh; 66kg G Walsh; 70kg L O’Rourke; 75kg A O’Rourke; 81+kg J Bobbett.
Elsewhere in Irish boxing news, Tommy McCarthy intends to become comedy’s undisputed champ after hanging up his boxing gloves.
The Belfast cruiserweight, 34, has been a pro for 11 years after turning over following a successful amateur career.
McCarthy lost out to Kenneth Egan in the 2009 and 2010 Irish elite finals at light-heavyweight but did claim a Commonwealth Games silver medal after impressing in India.
And, following a move to heavyweight where his punching power became a calling card, he got over the line in 2012 and made it a double triumph in 2013.
T-Mac quit the amateur scene following the 2013 World Championships in Kazakhstan – where he fell to a split decision defeat in the quarter-final, just one win from at least a bronze medal.
McCarthy racked up stoppage wins in his first five paid bouts but dropped his first decision in his tenth contest at the hands of Matty Askin.
After four more wins, he suffered a painful defeat to another British boxer in Richard Riakporhe and was left pondering his future.
But he showed his resilience to go again – and went on to lift the European title in 2020 with a battling win over Belgium’s Bilal Laggoune at the Wembley Arena.
The popular fighter lost his belt in his second defence against Chris Billiam-Smith on a razor-sharp decision but was then halted in the eighth round of their immediate rematch.
Another Euro title assault was to follow, against Poland’s Michal Cieslak in 2023, but he was stopped on enemy ground.
McCarthy’s final bout took place on Saturday night against old amateur rival and pal Steven Ward in Belfast.
And despite beating him four times in the vest, this time Ward claimed the win at Belfast’s SSE Arena.
Speaking afterwards, McCarthy said: “Maybe I got a bit complacent because I know Ward so well.
“We’ve been sparring partners since I was 14, boxed him four times in the amateurs and beat him four times, so maybe I took him a bit lightly. He was waiting 20 years for his revenge and he got me.
“I think I will hang the gloves up, gonna retire. I’m 34 now too old to rebuild, so I’ll go down another path.
“Boxing is a hard game and a lot of sacrifices to make. There’s new blood coming through, so I’ll bow out.”
OVER AND OUT
And, yesterday, he followed up with a social media post to make it official.
Having kicked off a podcasting career in recent years alongside Tyrone McKenna, and having entered the world of stand-up comedy, McCarthy is ready to embark on life after boxing.
He posted: “After 23 years in the game I’m officially retiring from boxing.
“I am proud of what I achieved in the sport although I’m disappointed that I never fulfilled my potential of being a world champion.
“I put my name in the history books as an amateur by being the first black athlete from here to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.
“Then again as a professional by becoming the first Black Irish European champion.
“The game has been good to me. It took me around the globe, met some great friends and put a bitta money in my pocket.
“Big thanks go to everyone involved in my career. Now I’m on a new mission to become the World Champion of Comedy!”
