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The Irish Sun
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Caoimhin Agyarko reveals padel call that reignited world title charge after 18-month layoff
CAOIMHIN AGYARKO almost had enough of the boxing racket – but a phone call before a game of padel reeled him back in. The Advertisement 2 Caoimhin Agyarko in action Harley Collison after an 18-month lomng layoff 2 The Irish boxing star revealed that he plays the popular racket sport Activity became an issue but outside of the ring, Agyarko kept himself busy with other sports while inside the ropes, a quickfire burst of action has his dreaming of world title glory once more. On March 30, he took a fight with Harley Collison at York Hall, winning over eight rounds to shake off seven months' worth of ring rust. Instead of putting his feet up, 28-year-old Agyarko stayed ready – and then his phone rang. It was manager Paul Ready - with a proposition. Ishmael Davis had pulled out of a high-profile bout in Sheffield. Hearn needed a substitute. Did he fancy it? Advertisement read more on boxing Agyarko told The Rocky Road boxing podcast: 'Yeah, I was actually on my way to play padel and I got a call from my manager. 'And he said, 'listen, do you want to fight Ryan Kelly in ten days' time?' And I just said, 'yeah'. 'Over the last 18 months, I've been quite inactive, I've had a bit of stick off people not really knowing what's going on behind the scenes and saying that I was turning down fights and this, that and the other. 'So the first thing on my mind was, 'This is the perfect opportunity to prove them people wrong and take the fight at ten days' notice'. Advertisement Most read in Boxing 'I knew I was capable of beating Ryan Kelly. And yeah, it was good to kind of prove to everybody that I am willing to take fights on short notice. 'I am willing to step in against whoever, regardless of time. And that was my opportunity to do so. And I went out and grabbed it with both hands. 'I was dying inside' - F1 fans stunned after Martin Brundle CONGRATULATES Conor Benn despite boxer losing to Eubank Jr 'And I got my game of padel in the end! After the call from my manager, I booked my flight back to Liverpool from Belfast the following morning, played padel and had to go home and pack. 'It's just me and my friends who play. There's about five or six of us that always just try and get booked in each week. So yeah, I like to kind of take my mind off boxing when I'm back home.' Advertisement Padel is one of the world's fastest-growing sports. Leo Messi, Andy Murray and Andre Agassi are fans of a game with the same core functions of tennis – smacking a furry ball over a net. There are some key differences in terms of scoring, serving and using the back wall. Oh, and it is enclosed. Agyarko grinned: 'It's like tennis in a cage. The rules are very similar, but you have to play like doubles. You couldn't play like one v one, but it's very good. 'It keeps you active. And I like to play different sports and learn new skills and stuff whenever I'm back home. Advertisement 'Obviously I still train with boxing and stuff, but I like to do a bit of MMA, football, go and play darts, padel, just something different.' Having boxed on Hearn's show in the Steel City, in his next outing he will get to do so in his hometown. The Lewis Crocker v Paddy Donovan rematch is set to take place later this year – and Agyako is due to fight the man he subbed in for. He added: 'Yeah, I think it's going to be Ishmael Davis in August, September, I would say it would be chief support. But yeah, big fight, big card and back to Belfast to put on big fights. Advertisement 'That's what's next. And that's what I'm fully focused on now, because it's set in stone. 'Being number five in the world before the Kelly fight, now I've picked up another WBA continental title, I could move up to three, four. So I'm right in there for a world title shot or a world title eliminator. 'So listen, all eyes on Ishmael Davis, if that's who it is in September. Get through Ishmael Davis, then I want a world title shot or I want an eliminator. 'I've grafted my way into this position. I've had four or five title fights. And they've all been with the WBA. So hopefully Terence Crawford can move out of the way, vacate and I can fight.' Advertisement Crawford holds the WBA and WBO belts at 154lb but is not likely to stick around, instead targeting a superstar clash with Canelo Alvarez, if the Mexican gets past William Scull in Riyadh on Saturday. NO FEAR Not that Agyarko would dodge him, if a Bud bout somehow came about. He smiled: 'Yeah, of course, listen, I'm always confident against whoever I want, but I'm also not delusional. 'He's a great fighter, pound for pound, one of the best. And obviously it would be great to go in and fight someone like him and test your skills against the very best.' Advertisement Agyarko is just happy to be active and able to talk about such things again. Having overcome a tough spell in his career, he is ready to let his fists do the talking now. He added: 'Mentally, I'm a different fighter now. I've always been mentally tough and headstrong, but I just show my resilience every single time there's some sort of adversity - whether that's in the ring or outside the ring. 'The last 18 months have shown me that things can go from 100 to 0 real quick and things can also go from 0 to 100 real quick. Advertisement 'So just stay active in the gym and be the best athlete and professional that you can possibly be. And yeah, you've just always got to stay dedicated and disciplined because things can change very quickly.'
The Irish Sun
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Caoimhin Agyarko ready for all-Irish clashes but Callum Walsh and Aaron McKenna fights stall
CAOIMHIN AGYARKO is ready to throw down in all-Irish derby fights with rising stars Callum Walsh and Aaron McKenna – but the Belfast boxer's plans have hit roadblocks this year. Agyarko, 28, revealed he was offered bouts with both 2 Caoimhin Agyarko celebrates after winning his WBA Continental super-welterweight bout against Troy Williamson 2 Agyarko says he was offered a bout against Cork sensation Callum Walsh but it fell through Cork's Walsh, 24, instead took on Scotland's Dean Sutherland in New York on St Patrick's weekend, knocking him out in one brutal round. Meanwhile, Monaghan's McKenna, 25, impressed against former world champ Liam Smith in a 12-round battle at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. On Walsh, Agyarko told The Rocky Road podcast: 'We asked for that fight for Madison Square Garden and they turned it down. 'Listen, I'm not going to say Callum turned it down, I don't like to say he turned it down. His manager just got back and said it was a fight for down the line. They were going on a different route and I respect that. read more on boxing 'I think Callum's a good fighter and it'll be a great fight in the future if we ever meet. He's young, up and coming, he's probably a contender now. 'I always respect all the fighters - no matter if they're Irish or not - but especially Irish fighters. I know how hard it is for us to try and make it in the world of boxing and I support all their journeys from afar. 'But if we ever meet, obviously it's business, not personal. 'Irish boxing is booming, you've got Pierce O'Leary, you've got Paddy Donovan, you've got Lewis Crocker, me, Callum Walsh, the McKenna brothers, you've got Gary Cully. Most read in Boxing "You've got Mick Conlan and Anto Cacace still flying the flag. Conor Wallace is on the verge of fighting for a world title as well. 'So Irish boxing is booming and it's great to see because we all kind of grew up together on the Irish scene together and to be all on our own journeys now, doing well, it's great to see how far we've all come.' Tommy Fury admits he was in a 'dark place' last year as he opens up on battles Agyarko's focus remains on becoming Ireland's first black world champion, and two wins in three weeks have bolstered his chances. First, he defeated Harley Collison at York Hall on March 30 before stepping in on short notice to outpoint Ryan Kelly in Nottingham – extending his record to 17-0. A clash with Britain's Ishmael Davis is next - on the Crocker-Donovan rematch in Belfast this autumn - likely leaving derbies until next year at least. On 'King' Callum, Agyarko added: 'I've got gloves and a gumshield and I will travel. Give me a date, I'm ready whenever. 'Well, his manager had said that his next few fights are going to be in LA or Vegas or whatever else and that fight only makes sense in Ireland. 'So I suspect that that's the route they're going to go down, to have a couple more fights in America. 'But listen, he's on his own journey and I'm on my own journey and if we meet, it'll be a great fight and a great fight for the Irish fight fans. 'I don't know him personally, but I wish him all the best on his journey and he keeps winning, I keep winning and we'll make a big fight down the line.' As for McKenna, Agyarko praised his rival's performance against Smith, saying: 'It was a great performance from Aaron, he stepped up to the plate against a world-class fighter in Liam Smith. A really classy, good performance. 'Beefy, I just think the inactivity killed him. He's been out of the ring, what, 18 months, two years? "And I think the inactivity against a young, fresh fighter like Aaron McKenna just showed on the night. But it was a real classy performance and he's a real talent.' Agyarko also addressed his own failed attempt to fight The Silencer earlier this year, adding: 'I accepted the fight for the Donovan Crocker first fight and he turned it down. 'They wanted me to come up to 160. I said, 'no problem'. Then they wanted me to come up to 164 and I said I'm not going up that far. 'They had said that they couldn't make middleweight and then they took the Liam Smith fight at middleweight. 'So, off the basis of that, I would say he would be moving up soon enough to 168. He might be struggling to make 160, but yeah, listen, I've unfinished business at 154. 'Until I win a world title at 154, I don't want to move back up to middleweight or until I achieve something like a European title or the weight gets hard for me to make, I don't want to go back up to 160. 'But career-wise, money-wise, if it made sense. I'm a fighting man. I'll fight anybody if it makes sense.'
RTÉ News
01-05-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Accumulated profits at Eamon Dunphy podcast firm climb to €336,006
Accumulated profits at the firm behind Eamon Dunphy's The Stand podcast last year surged to €336,006 - just days before Dunphy pressed pause on the podcast project. New accounts show that Dunphy's Pepperwort Ltd recorded post tax profits of €74,811 in 2024 - which was down 28.5% on the post tax profits of €108,963 for 2023. The profits for last year resulted in the company having accumulated profits of €336,106 on December 31st and only seven days later, Dunphy and his wife and co-owner of Pepperwort Ltd, Jane Gogan announced that they were taking a break from The Stand. The two stated that would be taking a break from The Stand for the "foreseeable future" and explained that they had commitments to other projects which required their attention. The former RTÉ soccer pundit, who is set to turn 80 in August, had been presenting the show for over eight years. In a busy year for the business, Pepperwort's cash funds increased by €76,176 from €270,749 to €346,925 Regularly at the top of the podcast charts, The Stand also attracted high-level commercial sponsorship, including from Tesco. Dunphy and Gogan co-own the company on a 50/50 basis and the accounts showed that aggregate pay to the directors in 2024 was €74,811 which was a marginal increase on the €72,719 for the prior year. As well as generating revenue from advertisers, people could subscribe to The Stand for a fee of €5 (ex VAT) per month. The last new edition of The Stand was posted on December 19 and the current affairs, sport and culture podcast posts up to eight new episodes each week that included Dunphy and his former RTE soccer pundit colleague, John Giles discussing the latest soccer results. The successful podcast venture was the latest chapter in the long and successful media career enjoyed by the former Irish soccer international, Dunphy. Dunphy is currently at work on the second half of his autobiography where the first volume, The Rocky Road, told his story up to the 1990 World Cup and in a press interview last year, he said "the next part will be funnier and lighter". Dunphy has been a mainstay providing soccer analysis on TV and radio since the early 1980s and the Dubliner continues to write a soccer column with The Irish Daily Star. Dunphy has also written five best selling books including an early critically acclaimed memoir Only a Game?, U2's biography Unforgettable Fire, Sir Matt Busby's biography A Strange Kind of Glory, Roy Keane's autobiography Keane, along with The Rocky Road. Addressing Pepperwort's going concern status, a note attached to the accounts states that the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. In 2022, Dunphy moved to voluntarily wind up his other media firm, Festuca Ltd and a liquidator's final statement of account shows that there was €392,931 available to return to the firm's shareholders after expenses were paid out.
