April Test Issue 2 April-May 2013 | Page 11

EX-BOXER ROY NASH ON INTERNATIONAL DUTY Olympics. I boxed Paul Griffin twice, winning the 1990 Senior Final and losing the 1991 Senior Final, but again I thought I was hard done by in the 1991 final as I thought I had won it. At that time you had to win the 1991 Final to qualify for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. I am still good friends with Phil Sutcliffe and Paul Griffin to this day. KO: Big Names that you boxed as an Amateur on the National and International Circuit: involved in and the toughest opponent you faced? Roy: My hardest fight would be Istvan Kovacs at the World Championships in 1989 as he never stopped coming at me and just fired loads of punches accurately. Johnston Todd was the toughest opponent I boxed, because when I fought him, I out-boxed him over 2 hard rounds and the third round he came out battered and bruised and he stopped me with one hell of a punch. I was probably too cocky after the first 2 rounds. A lesson well learned. Roy: Well, I fought a few big names, firstly there was Paul Hodkinson (WBA Featherweight Champion), Donny Hood KO: Tell us about the sparring (Commonwealth Champion), Joe sessions with World Kelly (Scotland) who won a British Champions Barry McGuigan Title and I beat him sometime in and Wayne McCullough: the early 80’s in a Full International. I was due to fight Roy: I sparred with Barry in 85Oscar De La Hoya 1985/86 in a 86, after he had won his British Full International in Portland, Title and he gave me a master Oregon, but he missed his flight class on punching power and from LA and the fight never took movement. It was definitely a place. I boxed Sean Murphy ROY BEAT, 5 TIME WORLD case of boy against man. I also (Commonwealth Gold medallist) 3 times. I beat him at the Stadium in CHAMPION JOHNNY TAPIA sparred with Wayne McCullough, and he has only 1 gear when it early 1986, then lost to him in the comes to boxing.... full throttle. It Commonwealth Final in July 86, then I fought him again in a Full International in Oct/ was a battle of the fittest. Nice to watch...just wish I Nov 1986 and beat him again. I have boxed Johnny could have watched. Tapia (5 times world champion) and beat him in an KO: You’re favourite Irish International Ulster International against America. Colleague: KO: What was the hardest fight you were ever Roy: Has to be Michael Carruth as anytime that I 11 MONTHLY