Lynch training hard at home for next pro bout
HIS debut pro fight saw him defeating Glasgow’s Gary McGuire 40-36 in a packed Devenish Arena in Belfast last October.
Ballygawley’s James Lynch turned pro 2 years ago and the Sligo soldier says it’s hard to keep motivated during the Covid-19 crisis but the 24-year-old is certainly busy with his daily training regime.
He told The Sligo Champion: “Yeah I suppose it is kind of hard to keep motivated with all of the (restrictions) but you have to keep the training going and keep focussed.”
Having the momentum from winning his first pro fight, James was looking forward to his second fight but then the coronavirus but a halt to sport as we know it.
“I was looking to fight just before it happened so that’s all put on the long finger for the time being.
“I’m training away by myself, hitting the bag to keep myself sharp, doing 5k runs and I do circuits at home as well to keep fit so it’s not too bad.
“I’m based in the army in Finner Camp as well, I’m here 3 years and really enjoying it so that’s keeping me fit, it’s good for the training too!,” James added.
He said that despite the restrictions in the Covid-19 crisis, he is very much looking forward to the next fight.
“It was unbelievable, the atmosphere in Belfast on October 12th for my first fight.
“It was such a good feeling. There was great support there, from locally and afar and all my family were there too.
“My opponent was Gary McGuire from Glasgow, I wasn’t all that familiar with him but thought he was good.”
How does he deal with the nerves in the run up to a big fight like this? “I suppose you would have a bit of nerves but Stephen (Reynolds) is brilliant, he keeps you focussed on the different things in the preparation and of course fitness is the most important.”
Speaking of his coach, he said the boxing scene in the county owes so much to him and his brother Alan.
“What Stephen has done is huge, without Stephen, boxing in Sligo wouldn’t be the great quality that it is. He is definitely pushing it on and the level of experience he has is immense,” he added.
Like many of the local boxers, James started out when he was young. “I was about 9 or that when I started and I went back to it when I was 11 and I haven’t left since.
“I suppose when you’re young you’re always watching it on television.
“Turning pro is a different ball game than amateur but it’s great,” he explained.
Having just turned 24 on Saturday, the Ballygawley man is relishing what the future lies for him in boxing.
“My dad got me into it and I never left after that. I was always into sport, I played soccer with Ballygawley Celtic and hurling too with Shamrock Gaels when they had the hurling club.
“What I liked about boxing was that it suited my style, I’m more of a kind of picker puncher.”
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, there was much talk about bringing a massive pro fight to Sligo, with the Knocknarea Arena being touted as a possible location and with promoter Leonard Gunning also hailing from Sligo, it is almost certain to happen in the near future.
James said he simply cannot wait. “I am really looking forward to a pro fight here in Sligo, whenever that happens. It would be great to see it here (in Sligo).
“It would bring such a big crowd and with there being 2 of us now from Sligo pro boxing, Aaron and myself, it would be huge and something hopefully we can look forward to. If Leonard comes up with something, it will be special.”
Before all of the restrictions in terms of travelling and so forth, James was training in Dublin too. “Having Leonard as my manager is great, he’s a Sligo native too and the training up in Dublin was brilliant, there is some serious spars up there. Hopefully it will all be back soon enough.”
What advice would he give young people aiming to take up the sport? “I suppose my advice would be to give it a go, try it out and keep at it.
“Keep up the training and keep going. When you first get hit in boxing that turns most people away at a young age, but don’t let that get you down, keep going and keep the mind focussed.” Not bad advice at all from the Sligo pro.