Without any doubt, boxers have brought more distinction to Irish sport than those from any other sports discipline. Irish medallists coming home from European or Olympic championships with medals around their necks have been feted as heroes - quite properly and correctly.

On the professional front, who will ever forget the arrival of Barry McGuigan in Dublin after he had won the world title by beating Eusebio Pedrosa in London or the arrival of Michael Carruth and Wayne McCullough after the Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992.

Boxers have continued to represent this island of ours with distinction and with great talent. Lists are dangerous things, but boxers like Gearoid O Colmain, Maxie McCullough, Fred Teidt, John McNally, Freddie Gilroy, Johnny Cauldwell, Tony "Sox" Bryne, Jim McCourt, Hugh Russell, Dave McAuley - the list is endless - all merit a mention.

I expect the letters now! Why did you leave out this one or that one? What about so-and-so? The apologies are already piling up. However, for all of boxing's appeal to the people of Ireland on the big occasion, the domestic scene is often forgotten. Very important boxing contests take place all around the country on a regular basis. Bigger championship clashes take place in the National Stadium on the South Circular Road on several occasions during the year but these are often ignored or badly supported.

All of this is inspired by a letter from the honorary treasurer of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association, Sean Horkan. Sean is a devoted supporter of boxing. He was the manager of the team which went to Barcelona in 1992 and which had spectacular success there. Other lesser men might have decided to get out at the top, but his enthusiasm for boxing and for looking after young boxers has never waned.

He is not the only one. Boxing seems to breed a certain decency, at the amateur level it must be emphasised, where people give their time and their experience to help young people.

There are Irish boxers today who are in Tampera in Finland trying to qualify for the European and Olympic Games. They had a punishing journey via three different airports, then they had make themselves ready for a weigh-in on the morning after their arrival when a few extra hours in bed might have been more welcome to all concerned. The resilience of people like these is astonishing and they get very little recognition for their devotion and commitment.

To get back to Sean Horkan's letter. He refers to the upcoming European Championships and Olympic Games and says: "It is a major undertaking (insofar as) providing the financial requirement of our qualifying programme is concerned. I have estimated that we will require £125,000 for the collective training, travel, accommodation and catering to give our boxers a well-prepared chance of qualifying for the limited number of places in both competitions".

He pointed out that within the last couple of weeks Irish boxers took part in qualifying contests in Sebastopol and Tampera and that further qualifying competitions will follow in Bucharest and Athens this year and Halle, Liverpool and Venice early next year.

His letter continued: "All this preparation to qualify for the Olympic Games is going on unnoticed by corporate commercial interests. Austin Carruth and Nicholas Cruz, in charge of the new gymnasium at the National Stadium, and myself, as finance manager, (all remember) how all big business in 1992 cheered for Ireland."

He suggests that: "some of the commercial financial managers of the Celtic Tiger" might come to the aid of the IABA as they make Trojanefforts to put a well-trained and qualified team into the ring in Barcelona next autumn.

His points are well and cogently made. When Irish boxers (Carruth and McCullough) came back from Barcelona with Olympic medals around their necks they inspired certain people to proclaim that Dublin should apply to stage the Olympic Games.

Considerable resources from the corporate sector were poured into the setting up of an organisation called the Dublin International Sports Council with a view to the pursuit of such a venture.

I agree totally with Sean Horkan that it is now up to the corporate sector to redeem some of the promises which were made on that occasion.

Surely the corporate sector, which is willing to support our international soccer and rugby teams in their unavailing pursuit of international success, might consider the noble art of self-defence which might provide them with a much higher profile on commercial markets.

Boxers deserve recognition and support, not only because there is a greater chance of significant success, but because they project an image of this country which gives all of us a cause for pride.