Austin Carruth, who is not normally given to hyperbole, believes his son, Michael, is in the best shape of his life as he faces a WBO welterweight championship fight against Michael Lowe here in Aachen, Germany, tomorrow night.
The Olympic gold medal winner is relaxed and trim and does not deny that he is feeling in top shape. "I reckon this was the way I felt before the final in the Olympics in Barcelona. This is just the same type of big fight that I enjoy and I am totally fit and ready" he said.
Carruth has gone through his toughest and most concentrated preparations ever for this welter weight championship bout against the reigning champion and local boy, Michael Lowe. "I have seen some videos of him in action and I believe I have his measure. He was actually knocked out by Robert McCracken in the world amateur championships at the National Stadium in Dublin a few years ago," said Carruth.
"It might be difficult to shade a points decision on home territory and I would hope that I would make that an academic question by ending it in the middle of the fight. I do not intend to let it go the distance. He is about two inches taller than I am but I believe I can turn that to my advantage by taking him on at close quarters" he added.
Carruth is conscious of the fact that he has been playing third fiddle to Steve Collins and Wayne McCullough as far as Irish professional boxing is concerned for the past few years.
"Now it is my turn. I have worked every bit as hard as they did and I know that neither of them would begrudge me and Ireland another world title," said a determined Carruth.
Carruth is delighted to be in a position to be able to make the welterweight limit without any difficulty. "I've just had a lovely meal. I'll do a bit of light training before the weigh-in tomorrow afternoon (Friday). I have no problems at all as far as weight is concerned" he said.
Trainer Fossey seems at some pains to keep the euphoria to a limit. "This is a very big fight for Michael, the most important in his life. He is not going to have an easy time of it in front of a German crowd against a home town boy. He knows how important this is and is ready but it's not going to be easy".
