Irish 2014 heavyweight champion Gary Sweeney has 2016 Olympics in his sights

City boxer Gary Sweeney takes the first step towards realising his dream of qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics when he lines out for his franchise team Mexico Guerreros against the British Lions at York Hall, London next Thursday night.

Due to fight out in Mexico last month with the Central American outfit, who recruited Sweeney after watching him fight at an Ireland international in Germany, Sweeney had to withdraw after sustaining an injury.

However, his coach and brother Michael Sweeney insists the 2014 Irish senior elite heavyweight boxing champion is primed for action and looking forward to the fight.

“Training has been going well and he has been sparring some of the top guys in Dublin,” said the Olympic Boxing Club coach.

“So, he has been dividing his time between the High Performance team Tuesday to Friday and Olympic Boxing Club. As I said, everything is going well and now all we are hoping for is a victory next Thursday.”

Although Sweeney’s opponent has yet to be confirmed, the likelihood is that he will be fighting 30-year-old Sunderland fighter Warren Baister, who just missed out in the final qualifying round for the 2012 London Olympics.

Sweeney is just one of a number of Irish fighters who have affiliated to franchises in the World Series of Boxing (WSB), with others such as Steven Donnelly of Poland Hussars and Italia Thunder duo Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlan also seeking Olympic qualification through the series.

With the aforementioned all enjoying a great deal of success – Barnes and Conlan are certainly looking good at the moment – 20-year-old Sweeney will hope to follow suit with a win next week.

After that, he must secure victories against the heavyweight fighters of Morocco Atlas Lions (March 13) and China Dragons (April 17) to be in contention for an Olympic qualification berth.

Having missed last month’s fight already puts him under some pressure but Gary’s coach Michael notes the avenue of the European Championships in August may also be available to the 2014 County Galway Sports Star winner.

Meanwhile, Sweeney’s Olympic BC club-mate Debbie O’Reilly, who became the first female Galway boxer to win a National Elite Senior Women’s title when defeating Louise Donohue of Geesala in the Irish lightweight final at the National Stadium last month, has her first international bout next week.

The Irish ladies will take on their Ukraine counterparts over two nights – Friday in the National Stadium and Saturday in St. Brigid’s BC, Kildare – with O’Reilly fighting on the Friday night on a premier card that includes AIBA World No. 8 ranked welterweight Clare Graceand fellow Elite champions Lauren Hogan, Dervla Duffy, Kelly Harrington and Diane Campbell.