As his erstwhile bag brothers Paddy Barnes and Joe Ward were making their way through to the quarter-finals of the World Championships yesterday, John Joe Nevin was taking a next step of his own.
The worst-kept secret in Irish boxing was finally confirmed, with the 24-year-old Olympic silver medallist announcing he’s leaving the amateur game and moving to Philadelphia to become a pro.
Nevin has signed up with an unlikely alliance – GreenBlood Boxing, an Irish-American company headed by Tim Witherspoon's former manager Tom Moran, and Berkley Sports and Media, the London firm that will initially finance the venture. The partnership has had preliminary talks with promoters in the US with a view to marketing Nevin to the Irish-American audience.
Inevitably, there was much talk of world titles and of one day bringing big-time boxing back to Dublin. Nevin’s stated aim is to become a world featherweight champion and to defend his title at Croke Park. His first fight will take place sometime in the new year.
"It's the next step for me," said Nevin. "I've done everything in the amateur business, all I wanted to do. I suppose if I could change the colour of the Olympic medal, I'd change it but that's done. I have the silver, I have to settle with it.
Golden boy
If I get to be a world champion, there would be nothing better than to bring the golden boy of England Luke Campbell [who beat Nevin in the Olympic final] back here and show him what I can do over 12 rounds. . . .
"To win a world title was something that I wanted to do since I was seven years old watching the Rocky movies on TV. I'd say that sounds a bit childish but that's what it was all about. Then when I got older and saw Bernard Dunne win his world title in Dublin, that made me want it even more."
Appropriately enough, Nevin will be based in Kensington, the same area of Philadelphia where Rocky was based.
His coach from Cavan Boxing Club Brian McKeown – with whom he has been since he was 13 – will remain on board and will travel over and back regularly. Though a self-described homebird, Nevin accepts that moving Stateside is essential.
“I’m going away to be the best in the world and hopefully make tons of money and bring back world titles. It’s a big commitment but it will be well worth it in the end.
“I’m going to box at featherweight. If you take a top class amateur out into the professional ranks, there’s no doubt he’ll be able to do well. The Denmark guy I beat in the Olympics (Denis Ceylan) ]is 8-0 as a pro now and I beat him handy in London. My style won’t change for nobody. It’s going to be hit and not get hit. I’m not a brawler”
McKeown, for one, believes his young protégé will have no issues with transferring his skills to the professional stage.
“Professional boxing is a game more based on endurance and physical strength but more importantly it’s based on a willingness to stand there and exchange punches. Everybody thinks that John Joe is a dancing man but I’ll tell you now you he hits as hard as anyone I’ve ever held pads for. I don’t believe there will be any problem with the transition.”
A third generation Mayoman from Philadelphia, Moran will be the one providing the bombast. “This is the beginning of a golden age of Irish boxing,” he said. “The Irish boxing marketplace in America is untapped.
