BOXING NEWS:THE IRISH Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) will bring the European Senior Championships to Dublin for the first time in 63 years next summer.

President Tommy Murphy and director of boxing Dominic O’Rourke confirmed the association would play host to the tournament in 2011, when the IABA celebrates its 100th birthday.

Dr John Lynch, the chairman of the IABA board, has also been appointed treasurer of the European body on a unanimous decision at the AIBA congress in Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

The European Championships is usually a biennial tournament, but has been granted to the IABA for its centenary celebrations and to help the Continent’s boxers prepare for the 2011 World Championships and Olympic qualifiers in Azerbaijan next September.

Ireland last staged this tournament in 1947 at the National Stadium in Dublin, where Gerry O’Colman, Peter McGuire and Eddie Cantwell won gold, silver and bronze.

Murphy believes the continental deciders will provide the perfect showcase to mark their centenary year.

“The European Senior Championships are obviously are very prestigious tournament and to be granted the opportunity to stage them in Dublin is an enormous boost to Irish amateur boxing,” he said.

The tournament, which will feature at least 40 nations, will also give the IABA the chance to build on its historic haul of five medals from the 2010 European Championships in Moscow.

Paddy Barnes bridged a 19-year gap to become the first Irishman to win gold in the Russian capital, and Darren O’Neill won silver.

Ken Egan, Eric Donovan and Tyrone McCullagh also claimed bronze to help Ireland finish in second spot in the medals table behind powerhouses Russia.

“The Irish squad performed brilliantly at the 2010 European Championships in Moscow and, with home advantage next year, we would be confident that we can do well again,” added Dominic O’Rourke.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for us.”