AMATEUR BOXING:KEN EGAN was back on top of the podium last night after fellow Dubliner Darren Cruise was retired by his corner at the start of the third round in their senior open light heavyweight final at the National Stadium in Dublin.

Egan, a silver medallist at the Beijing Olympics, was last beaten in an Irish tournament in May 1999.

But the Neilstown clubman never looked like surrendering his decade-long winning streak after he took the first round 6-1, with three lefts helping the nine-time Irish senior champ on his way.

Egan then made it 15-1 in the second before Cruise’s corner retired their man.

Meantime, reigning Irish light welter champ Philip Sutcliffe did the double over Beijing Olympian John Joe Joyce following a 21-6 decision. Sutcliffe took all three rounds in a thrilling contest which was a repeat of last February’s senior final which Sutcliffe won in a first-round stoppage.

Joyce took a 1-0 lead in the first round of this encounter, but despite showing some silky skills when the fight was conducted at long range the St Michael’s, Athy man never coped with the Crumlin fighter’s close-range combat.