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McLaughlin lifts European Silver 25.06.09

by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent

ILLIES GOLDEN Gloves boxer William McLaughlin insists he’s come of age as an international boxer following his silver medal at the European Union Championships in Odense.
The 23 year old Irish Senior Champion stopped Turkey’s Erkan Bingol in the last sixteen, cruised past Slovak Ladislav Takecs 13-4 in the quarter final before a superb 7-1 decision over England’s Scott Cardle on Thursday afternoon set up his gold medal showdown with Balaza Bacskai of Hungary.
McLaughlin, who had to fight one bout more than his opponent to reach the final, came up short, losing 12-4. The Hungarian welterweight, who’d narrowly beaten McLaughlin in the Czech Republic six weeks ago, was named boxer of the tournament in Denmark.
Speaking to the Inishowen Independent shortly after the Irish team returned to Dublin on Sunday McLaughlin was extremely satisfied with the result.
“It’s unbelievable to get a silver medal in a world-class tournament like this. Leaving the house to head to Paris for the training camp if someone had’ve offered me silver I would have grabbed it with two hands,” said the 23 year old.
“There was no pressure on me to win a medal. But I just thought that the time was coming and that, with a little bit of luck, I’d get a medal. I have the confidence in myself now. I know now I am good enough to beat anyone in the world. That is the level I am at.”
The nine man Irish squad took home three gold, three silver and three bronze medals from the Championships, which featured 20 nations.
Ireland finished on top of the medals table and were presented with the team of the tournament award at the Odense Sports Centre on Saturday.
Carrying a nasal injury into the tournament, McLaughlin’s ribs sustained damage in his semi final against Cardle, diminishing his chances in the final.
“The English guy hit me round the back and I think I might have two cracked ribs. The semi-final was hard, but the final was harder. I knew the Hungarian would be strong. I took a few big right hooks to the body.
“I had three fights in three days. He only had two. Those fights took their toll. I was very, very tired going into the final, just exhausted. There was only Friday off and I was fighting to make weight too.”
Even if the final was a match too
Illies Golden Gloves boxer, William McLaughlin.
far for William, he says he’s learned a lot from the tournament.
“Stopping [Erkan] in the first fight gave me a lot of confidence. Me and Kenny [Egan] fought on the first day and we both won and that relaxed us.
Last year in Poland I was only getting into the international scene. But every tournament I’ve been to since, like the ones in Turkey and the Czech Republic before the EUs. I have gained in experience and learned to bide my time in fights.
On the horizon for William is the Open Senior Box offs in Dublin in three weeks for the World Championships in Milan. He faces a battle to regaining full health ahead of the qualifiers.
“At the minute I have to take a week off with my ribs and the cut on the inside of my nose. Any time I sneeze or laugh the pain down my side is really sore. I’d love to have more time to recover but that’s boxing.”
McLaughlin will see physio later in the week and if the pain hasn’t eased by the weekend he will have an x ray to determine if indeed his ribs have been cracked.
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