BOXING: Brett McGinty's saving the '˜real talking' for the ring!

OAK LEAF ABC's talented teenage welterweight, Brett McGinty refuses to be dragged into a war of words with his Irish Elite Final opponent, Dean Walsh, and insists he will do the '˜real talking in the ring' tonight.
Brett McGinty, right, of Oakleaf, exchanges punches with Peter Carr of Crumlin during their 69kg bout during the 2016 IABA Elite Boxing Championships at the National Stadium in Dublin.Brett McGinty, right, of Oakleaf, exchanges punches with Peter Carr of Crumlin during their 69kg bout during the 2016 IABA Elite Boxing Championships at the National Stadium in Dublin.
Brett McGinty, right, of Oakleaf, exchanges punches with Peter Carr of Crumlin during their 69kg bout during the 2016 IABA Elite Boxing Championships at the National Stadium in Dublin.

The 18 year-old St Johnston lad exudes a quiet confidence and maturity beyond his years ahead of the biggest test of his amatuer boxing credentials in the welterweight decider at the National Stadium.

He faces three times Irish light welterweight champion and European bronze medalist, Walsh in a mouthwatering clash which promises fireworks.

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The experienced Wexford man, who has stepped up to welterweight and is aiming for his fourth Irish title, has been talking the talk ahead of his battle with the youngest man in action on finals night.

Walsh has warned McGinty to be prepared for an all out war insisting; “It’s going to be war, one hell of a war, I’m looking forward to making it four.”

However, McGinty refused to get embroiled in trash talking and has set his sights on becoming Oak Leaf’s first ever Irish senior champion.

“I wouldn’t blame him (Walsh) for saying stuff like that,” said McGinty.

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“Everybody should be confident in their own ability. I suppose you wouldn’t expect him to say anything but that.

“But let him talk about whatever he wants I’ll do my talking on Friday night when we’re preparing to fight, That’s when the real talking will be done, in the ring, so we’ll see what he’s made of then.”

The highly decorated McGinty is an eight time Irish Junior champion, represented Ireland at the World Youth Championships and won a silver medal for N. Ireland at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa. And he feels he’s ready to add the senior title to his long list of accolades having progressed impressively to his first Senior Final at the first time of asking.

He feels he’s getting better as the tournament progresses and is confident he’s saved his best for last.

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“I’m looking forward to it, I couldn’t really ask for much more than getting to an Irish senior final at the first time of asking.

“It’s definitely a big opportunity for me so I will go in on Friday night and go for it and hopefully get the win.

“If anything my performance have got better since I went on. The quarter-final was alright but at the end of the day I got the win.

The semi-final was a bit better so hopefully I’ve left the best to come this weekend.

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“If you had of asked me last year when I was sitting in the house watching the senior finals if I would have been happy to get there next year I would have found it hard to believe that I would get there. But I’m there now and I can’t just rest on that. I have to go on and win it now. And hopefully Friday night I get the win,

“It’s the best thing you can win on this island anyway. Even at underage level to win the National Championships is something special but to do it at senior level is even better again. Hopefully I can do it.

Walsh clearly is prepred to go toe-to-toe with the Co. Donegal lad but how does McGinty see the bout unfolding?

“I’m going to take the fight to him,” he said. “It depends on what way he reacts. “ If he stands with me then happy days, if not, if he starts moving and gets on his bike then I’ll just have to cut him off and get inside at a high tempo and high workrate and eventually I’d say I’ll get to him.”

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And the added incentive for McGinty is to become Brandywell club, Oak Leaf’s first Irish Senior champion.

“Sean McGlinchey won the Ulsters but I would become Oak Leaf’s first Irish senior champion. I’m actually the club’s first finalist never mind champion. But it’s one thing to be a finalist, when you’re there you want to be the champion. So that’s another incentive - to be Oak Leaf’s first senior champion.”

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