‘Jason is still my golden boy’ – boxer’s proud mum Muriel
DEFEATED Irish boxing hero Jason Quigley’s mum wiped tears from her eyes yesterday as she declared: “He’s still my golden boy.”
Muriel Quigley watched as her son’s lifelong dream of winning a gold medal at the World Championships disappeared before her eyes.
Muriel was surrounded by family and friends at the Finn Valley Centre in her hometown of Ballybofey in Co Donegal to watch Jason go for gold. But the tough 22-yearold had to settle for silver as he was beaten on points by Kazakhstan’s Zhanibek Alimkhanuly.
Speaking after the fight, Muriel said it just wasn’t meant to be.
“He gave it his all. . . he didn’t have luck on his side. But I am so proud of him that he got to the final. He may not have won the gold medal but he will always be my golden boy,” she said.
Muriel along with Jason’s two sisters Jade, 14, and Holli, 6, were surrounded by wellwishers, cheering on the young boxer. And the proud mother revealed how Jason has been determined to follow in his father Conor’s footsteps in to the ring since he was a young boy.
“I remember him getting boxing gloves and headgear for Christmas at a very early age and he would dance around the kitchen declaring himself the winner.
“Conor was always away boxing, so the chances were that Jason was always going to give boxing a go,” she said.
Muriel said that she could not ask for a better son. “I honestly couldn’t say a bad word about him. He doesn’t have much money because he is training full-time, but he tries to give money up for the housekeeping.
“His two sisters adore him and he is so good to them.
“I know all mothers love their sons, but I can honestly say that Jason has never given us a minute’s bother since he was born.”