Peters disappointed at Egan's withdrawal

BOXING : Boxing promoter Brian Peters has expressed disappointment at Kenny Egan’s withdrawal from the under card bout at Bernard…

BOXING: Boxing promoter Brian Peters has expressed disappointment at Kenny Egan's withdrawal from the under card bout at Bernard Dunne's world title at the O2 Arena in Dublin later this month.

The Olympic silver medalist returned home from New York yesterday and immediately issued an apology for his behaviour in recent days. The Neilstown boxer failed to weigh in at the National Stadium last Thursday for his light heavyweight bout with American Sijoula Shabazz

He also failed to show at the stadium with the rest of the Irish team for the international meeting the following day against the US. It later transpired he had left for New York without informing the team or management.

“Clearly Kenny is going through a difficult time right now in his life and he needs all the help and support he can get at the moment because his health and well being is obviously paramount,” said Peters, who had planned a bout with his Chinese opponent Xiaoping Zhang at the O2 on March 21st.

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“It’s unfortunate because Xiaoping Zhang had accepted the fight and Kenny’s coach Gerry Fleming and the Irish Amateur Boxing Association were instrumental in working with the President of the Chinese Boxing Federation Chang Jianping to secure the fight.”

Yesterday, through a statement, Egan apologised to his teammates, coaches, Dunne, the boxing association and support staff, as well as his family, specifically his mother.

“Kenny wishes to express his sincerest apologies to everyone and in particular all those people that have been very supportive of him both through his journey to the Olympic final in Beijing and after the games,” said the statement, issued by Gary Keegan, who was high-performance director in Beijing.