There was a well merited celebration at Sliabh Luachra Boxing Club headquarters on Castleisland’s Cordal Road on Thursday evening.
Inside, a huge poster of the European silver medalist, James Michael Casey or Jamesie to his family and friends, hung on ringside above a table with a huge cake in readiness for the arrival of the just turned 14 year old boxer from Killarney.
A Look at the Medal
A blast of excitement from the many young club members and admirers marked the arrival of the club’s most recent high achiever and all of them wanted a closer look at the European silver medal he wore over his Irish team tracksuit.
Chatting later on, Jamesie said that he trained six days a week in the run up to the European Schools Championship which were held in Erzurum, Turkey last week.
Sparring and Cardio Work
“It was mostly boxing and sparing and a lot of cardio work as that’s very important,” said Jamesie who has been boxing since he was seven years of age.
“I moved from Tralee Boxing Club to Castleisland and the Sliabh Luachra club about a year ago and it’s all going well for me.
“Boxing is by far and away Jamesie’s favourite sport of all. “I played a bit of soccer and I’d kick around with the lads here in the estate but I’ve no great interest in it. Boxing is the sport for me. Boxing owns my heart,” he said.
McCann and Fury as Heroes
As far as inspiration is concerned, Jamesie looks across the Irish Sea and to the likes of rising featherweight star Dennis McCann and his all-time hero, heavyweight, Tyson Fury – who would, he said, demolish any of the current crop of heavyweight on the scene today.
Hall of Fame by The Script is what Jamesie listens to during his training runs and before his fights with the inspirational lines:
Yeah, you could be the greatest, you can be the best,
You can be the King Kong banging on your chest,
You could beat the world, you could beat the war,
You could talk to God, go banging on his door.
Olympics 2028 – A Goal
As for the future, this steady, level headed young man knows exactly what he wants to do and where he wants to go and his experiences in Turkey last week will stand to him in the years ahead.
“I’m looking at representing Ireland in the Olympic Games in 2028 – that’s where I want to be then,” said Jamesie in conclusion.
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