Irish team there for 'amazing man' John Joe

The Irish boxing team will welcome John Joe Nevin back "with open arms" if he changes his mind about going professional.

That's according to coach Billy Walsh, who has revealed that John Joe was due to sign a professional contract at last Saturday's postponed heavyweight bout between Tyson Fury and David Haye in England.

 Speaking to the Irish Independent prior to the team's departure to Kazakhstan for the World Boxing Championships, Walsh paid tribute to the Olympic silver medalist. 

“This has been ongoing. The guy has achieved almost everything he wanted to achieve in amateur boxing, an amazing man, an amazing talent and probably one of the best I have seen don an Irish jersey.

“ I thought when he came to France with us at the end of August - we’d two contests out there - I thought he was going to continue. I heard he was going over to the Tyson Fury fight and sign up (professionally) there. That was the plan.He wasn’t at squad training in that camp (Mayo). For me the decision was already made. It was John Joe’s decision to go professional .”

“I couldn’t speak highly enough about him. Any advice, any help …we will be there with open arms if he decides to change his mind, which he has on a few occasions."