Dunne: IABA must start succession plan after Zaur Antia

Bernard Dunne has called on the Irish Amateur Boxing Association to start their coaching succession plan for the future after Zaur Antia.

The IABA's lauded head coach has now had a hand in ten Olympic medals, after Kellie Harrington secured gold in the 60kg competition in Paris on Tuesday night.

The Georgian has been part of the Irish coaching team since moving to Ireland in 2003, and has been head coach since the departure of Billy Walsh in 2015.

Harrington’s second successive Olympic gold medal on Tuesday brought Ireland’s boxing involvement at Paris 2024 to a conclusion, prompting a discussion around the future of the sport between Dunne and Darren O’Neil, and 2008 medallist Kenneth Egan on RTÉ Sport’s coverage.

And Dunne believes the IABA’s top priority in the short term should be to allow coaches around the country tap into Antia’s experience.

"One huge thing we do need to see is other coaches getting exposure to Zaur Antia and actually downloading his brain," the former world champion said.

"I mean this. He should be a coach of coaches, and make the future for Ireland bright.

"He’s somebody that we can’t lose and countries will try poach him. We need to make sure he stays. He’s fundamental to everything in the future."

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Antia turns 62 later this month, and Egan pointed out that while he still expects Antia to lead the Irish coaching team for several more years, it would be wise for the IABA to start planning now.

"He won't be around forever, so he needs to offload all his knowledge