Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ON WAR PATH
Dunne in Joe’s corner as he bids for star recognition
BERNARD DUNNE wants the whole country to know Joe Ward is Ireland’s best athlete – and he’s frustrated that’s not already the case.
Dunne, Irish boxing’s recently-appointed High Performance director, had no problem generating publicity as he made his way up the pro ladder to become world champion.
It confounds him that Moate light-heavyweight Ward, who is Ireland’s best medal prospect for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, is not a household name – not even after coming back from Hamburg a few days ago with his third World silver.
“Three European gold medals, three world medals – all on the senior stage by the age of 23,” said Dunne, right.
“The whole country should know his name, he’s that good.”
The Dubliner believes there are a couple of reasons that’s not the case. Firstly, Ward is quiet by nature and, secondly, his fights don’t get enough TV exposure.
“He’s just come back from fighting in a world final and I don’t think any of our home TV stations even bothered broadcasting any seconds, never mind minutes, of it,” said Dunne.
“We had one TV camera turn up at the airport to see him – and boxing is our number one sport.”
After the circus of the Mcgregor/mayweather event, Irish boxing feels like it is lagging in the shadows in terms of publicity.
“Joe’s not going to act and be something that he’s not,” said Dunne. “But Joe has no problem talking to anybody.
“People have to show an interest. It’s not what Conor and Floyd were, which was very different. It was extravagant.
“There was only one winner in that and it was Conor and I thought he did a superb job.
“Regardless of what happened in the fight the man just talked himself into the biggest fight in history for his first-ever professional fight.
“I don’t know anybody else who could do it.
“But Joe Ward, Sean
Mccomb, Kellie
Harrington, Grainne
Walsh are the real deal.
These are real boxers, real people with
Olympic ambitions.
“That’s not Conor.”
Dunne’s appointment was the start of the repair job Irish boxing required after a disastrous Rio Olympics. The fall-out that followed with board level fighting proved the road to recovery wouldn’t be easy. However Dunne himself insists that isn’t the reason why Ward isn’t as recognised as he should be.
“It’s always been that way, let’s not make it something to do with reputation,” Dunne added.
“But Joe doesn’t make a song and dance about not getting the attention he does deserves.
“He’s probably the best athlete we have in the country. Actually I’m doing him an injustice, he’s the best athlete we have.
“He’s the most consistent. There’s only one guy above him in the weight division (Cuban Julio La Cruz). His goal over the next three years is to really close that up.
“Joe is only 23 and Cruz is 29. Cruz is probably at that level where he’ll stay, while Joe’s just getting better and better.
“I’ve noticed a real difference in him since I’ve come in. He’s demonstrated to me how much he wants it and wants to improve. “For us to be able to secure him for the next three years is a huge coup for Irish sport.”