Tributes to an 'ideal fighter'

BOXING NEWS: THE DEATH of Darren Sutherland has deprived Irish boxing of one of its most prized assets. A prospect in the super middleweight division, Sutherland had embarked on a successful professional career under the guidance of Frank Maloney in London, where he moved shortly after winning a bronze medal in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

A three-time Irish senior champion, Sutherland had the pedigree to go far in the professional game. He also essentially had the looks and the banter.

He was what they call a good package, although, at 27 years old, he was turning profession later than most (he ended his amateur career at the age of 26).

The bronze medal in Beijing had given Sutherland the exposure and the profile to make it successfully as a professional and while he was courted by many promoters, the eccentric Maloney was his final choice.

“It could be the back end of next year that I could be fighting for the Irish title. I’m not necessarily in a hurry. I just want to be moved along at a pace that suits my improvement,” said the Dubliner, who won his three amateur Irish Senior Titles in the St Saviours ABC club. “If I step in there and start knocking guys out, they’re going to have to step up the challenge and the level of opposition, so it all depends on how well I settle into the programme. I think I’m going to make the transition really smooth.”

Talented, Sutherland was also the ideal fighter to market, as his accommodating character and general good spirits made him one of the stand-out personalities on the Olympic team. His energy and drive carried over easily into the professional ranks.

Sutherland’s first professional fight was staged in Dublin City University, where he stopped Bulgarian Georgi Iliev in December of last year. Since then he had won three more bouts and his record stood at 4-0.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio last night, Olympic medal winner Michael Carruth said the young boxer’s death was “a sad sad loss” for his family and boxing fans everywhere.

Mr Carruth said Darren Sutherland had the style, the power and the charisma to make it to the top. “Everything that goes into making a top-class pro, he had the ingredients there and unfortunately we are never going to get to see this now”.

He said everyone knew that Sutherland was going to be the first of the Olympic team to go professional. “His amateur style was more suited to the pro style than anything else . . . it’s a sad, sad loss.”

Minister for Sport Martin Cullen said: “The death of Darren is a great personal loss to them and to his many friends,” the minister said. “The tremendous effort and determination of this young man brought immense pride to Ireland in Beijing in 2008 when he joined a very select group of men who have won an Olympic medal for Ireland.”