BY CHRIS MCNULTY
JASON Quigley’s Kazakhstan countdown continued at the weekend when the Finn Valley ABC boxer scored two comprehensive victories at the Normandy 4-Nations Tournament in Berck, France.
Quigley defeated Adriani Vastine of France 3-0 on Friday night and followed that up 24 hours later by giving a masterclass of middleweigh boxing to beat Polish fighter Michal Kowalczik 3-0.
The wins keep Quigley’s unbeaten record ticking along just nicely ahead of the 2013 World Championships in Almaty. The 22-year old Ballybofey boxer is unbeaten now in his last 28 fights. The last man to defeat him was Illies ABC’s Willie McLaughlin in February 2012.
“It’s a wee thing that’s in the back of my mind now alright,” Quigley, speaking from France, told the Donegal News this morning.
This tournament was crucial for Billy Walsh’s team as they knuckle down for five weeks of serious action now ahead of the World Championships.
“I had two tough fights and conditions were tough enough: It was a wee small ring and inside everything was in there, just all guns blazing,” said Irish and European champ Quigley.
“The lads I was in with were two international standard boxers so they were two good fights.
“This is the start of the countdown now. We have about five weeks left so it’s all systems go for that now.
“We’re happy with where we are. Most of us are in good physical shape anyway, so it’s all about the fight fitness and the mental fitness from now on.
“You can spar as much as you want, but when it counts is when you get the boots on, the gloves on and you’re getting into the ring looking for a decision.”
Quigley and the Irish team returned to Dublin airport this evening and will go later this week for a nine-day training camp with boxers from countries such as Poland, Sweden and Finland.
“I’ll have good sparring and might have a couple of tests, but these fights in France were main ones before the Worlds,” Quigley said.
“It was great t come out here and get two wins.”
Overall, Ireland claimed 13 wins from 15 outings in 24 hours in France and Irish team manager Joe Hennegan accepted the Best Nation trophy on behalf of the squad at Saturday’s session.
Quigley was one of six Irish boxers to record two wins in 24 hours.
Quigley’s world ranking recently improved by two places and he is now joint sixth in the AIBA rankings, with Evhen Khytrov and Bogdan Juratoni, whom he beat at the European Championships, among those ahead of him.
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)