HAVING DODGED the waiting press yesterday morning at Dublin airport on his return from New York, Olympic boxer Kenny Egan issued an apology for his behaviour in recent days.
He said he had found dealing with his silver medal success at Beijing and accompanying public attention “very challenging”.
The Neilstown boxer also said he was pulling out of his amateur fight on the under card of Bernard Dunne’s professional World Title challenge against Ricardo Pedroza at the O2 Arena on March 21st.
Egan, one of the Irish stars in Beijing, did not weigh in at the National Stadium last Thursday evening for his light heavyweight bout with American Sijoula Shabazz, and didn’t show up at the stadium with the rest of the Irish team for the international meeting the following day against the US. It later transpired he had left for New York without informing the team or management
Yesterday, through a statement, he apologised to his teammates, coaches, Dunne, the boxing association and support staff, as well as his family, specifically his mother.
“Kenny wishes to express his sincerest apologies to everyone and in particular all those people that have been very supportive of him both through his journey to the Olympic final in Beijing and after the games,” said the statement, issued by Gary Keegan, who was high-performance director in Beijing.
“He would also like to apologise to his mother and family for all the media attention that his success has brought to their doors. Kenny knows he has largely fed the media commentary and wishes to hold his hands up and again apologise to all involved. He has found dealing with the success and the new-found fame it brings very challenging and he says himself that he hasn’t handled it appropriately, and put himself out there in celebrity world and got caught up in it.”
Last week’s meeting with the US was to be Egan’s first against international opposition since China and his first since he became the only man to win nine senior national titles in succession. To compound matters, the amateur boxer had been named captain of the Irish team to face the US last week.
“Kenny, while trying to please everybody, left himself open to all sorts of requests which ultimately left him in a position where he couldn’t meet his commitments,” continued the statement.
“He has made a decision not to box on the Bernard Dunne World Title fight because he is not in condition to compete at this point. Kenny has to get back to basics and doing what he knows best – hard work and real commitment – in a place he loves – Irish boxing, the gym, the ring, the international arena – among his team-mates.”
Officials hope his return to training will help guide Ireland to success at the European Union Championships in June and World Championships in September.
