LAST weekend the Irish turned out in numbers to watch the Leigh Wood v Micheal Conlan fight at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham.
Like they always do, the Irish boxing fans travelled in their numbers to watch one of Ireland's most recognisable fighters.
But it wasn't just Conlan that attracted the vast following for the March 12 bout.
There were also the likes of Nass native Gary Cully and Dublin's Thomas Carty, Ireland's next big heavyweight hopeful, on the undercard.
Carty is 3-0 in his professional boxing career and made light work of the Polish fighter Michael Boloz in their heavyweight bout last weekend.
The slick Phibsborough heavyweight won by a fifth-round stoppage after putting in an Oleksandr Usyk-style performance on the night.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - MARCH 12: Thomas Carty punches Michal Boloz during the Heavyweight fight between Thomas Carty and Michael Boloz at Motorpoint Arena Nottingham on March 12, 2022 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)Carty's stock is rising in boxing, and it's easy to see why.
Speaking to The Irish Post this week, the Dublin man gave a tell-all interview about his life and career to date.
He went into signing with British heavyweight Dillian Whyte's management, sparring with Eddie Hall, the world's strongest man, and Anthony Joshua and the possibility of fighting for an Irish title fight in Dalymount Park, the home of his beloved Bohemians football club.
Carty grew up in Phibsborough, the mixed commercial and residential neighbourhood on the Northside of Dublin.
A sporty kid with aspirations to wear Dublin's famous blue and white one day, Carty played Gaelic football for his local club in Clontarf and was exceptionally talented at a young age.
Others saw his potential, and at one stage, he was on trial with the Dublin team.
At around 15, the boxer grew into his tall, skinny athletic 6ft 4 figure and wanted to get stronger for the Gaelic.
He started boxing on the side with Corinthians boxing club and trained alongside the likes of Ireland's Olympians Kellie Harrington and Emmet Brennan.
"I was athletic from the beginning, and boxing took off for me very fast, very quickly,” he recalls.
"I got really good, really fast at boxing, but was still playing Gaelic football as it was the emphasis, and after that, the boxing took over as there was a lot more training required.
"I enjoyed the fact that it was an individual sport and that it was not a team sport,” he explained.
“The responsibility was on me if I won or lose, whereas I think lads playing Gaelic didn't take it as seriously, and that's why boxing has taken over for me."
Carty is new to the professional boxing scene, with three wins, one which came against Michael Boloz in early March.
🗣 ' @DillianWhyte's gonna chin Fury & take his belt & then I'll be taking his old Irish belt'
@_LydiaDesDolles speaks to @thomas_carty from #WoodConlan press conference Nottingham
WATCH➡️ https://t.co/4qRa5nHIBW
sponsored by @esbcgame & @EmpireFS_ #InCombatWeTrust pic.twitter.com/0OjUgAWwhR— Fight Connect TV (@FightConnectTV) March 10, 2022
He danced around the 16stone fighter and landed several devastating blows on the night.
When asked who he would compare himself to into the division, Carty let out a big laugh and said that he had been compared to the slick Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk, who beat Anthony Joshua last year.
When you watch the fight back on Youtube, it's hard to disagree.
"A lot of people would compare me to the likes of Oleksandr Usyk,” he admits.
“I have seen a couple of rumours and comments saying I'm the two euro shop of Usyk,” he joked.
“Usyk for the footwork and I'm left handed, but I'm good with my right hand like Andy Lee was.”
After the fifth round stoppage, footage can be seen of Carty screaming 'yes’ in front of a packed crowd.
He admits however that he was nervous about the match.
"I've never sold that many tickets before or had that many people come to my fight and travel, spend their money, and see me, which meant a lot,” he says.
“Because there were many people there and with that added pressure of having the Irish there.
"I don't think anyone was as grateful as I was to even be just on the card.
“I'm really grateful to be where I'm at, and It's really humbling for me.”
He added: “I said when I turned pro before I retire, I would love to star on a Matchroom Boxing show, now I'm 3-0, and it's surreal to me. It means so much to me."
Pascal Collins is training Carty.
Collins is the brother of former Super middleweight Steve Collins and League of Ireland manager Roddy Collins.
In April 2022, Carty joined Collins Celtic Warriors gym and signed up to Boston-based promoters Dropkick Murphys Boxing, but had his head swayed by a heavyweight, Dillian Whyte, Tyson Fury's next opponent.
The Boh's supporter made his debut in May and got a call from Anthony Joshua's camp to spar with the Watford heavyweight ahead of the Oleksandr Usyk fight last year.
Dillian Whyte then called and wanted Carty's sparring services and liked what he saw in camp. They asked what the situation was, and shortly after signing, the Dubliner signed to Dillian Whyte's management in October after working out the legal side of the arrangement with Murphys.
"I got a call from AJ [Anthony Joshua] that he wanted me to spar with him ahead of the Usyk fight,” he says.
“That was fantastic, everything was going great and then Dillian Whyte called me for sparring and he and his camp liked what they saw."
"They asked me what my situation was with the Americans [Dropkick Murphys].
“They were interested in signing me, as I was with them, so it was all legal stuff that had to be done.
“We then decided that it would be best to go with Dillian’s management team.
“ I didn't sign with the team because it's Dillian Whtye. I signed because the team is looking to manage me correctly going forward.
“We chopped and changed and got it sorted and now we are signed up."
Carty's boxing career so far would seem a pipe dream to many.
Sparring with Anthony Joshua,appearing on a Matchroom card and signing to one of the best British boxer’s management label. It's fair to say he is living the dream.
When asked what it was like sparring with Joshua, he described the experience as “surreal”.
"I started out on this journey with no expectations,” he admits.
“I was a really good amateur, but had no expectations on my career and was quite naive because there was no defined career path, it can't be written down."
Usually, one would think that when sparring a world heavyweight, there's a bit of holding back, but Carty explained that you couldn't do that as the people at the top of their game have no time for people acting second best.
"To spar with AJ after making my debut was great, but what people don't realise is that you're sparring guys who are world champions, they have an agenda and if you're not up to standard, you're sent home, I see it all the time."
Anthony Joshua having sparring with southpaw Thomas Carty in preparing for his fight against Oleksandr Usyk #JoshuaUsyk pic.twitter.com/JjfY4U7j05
— #BriedisOpetaia (@BatmanBoxing) June 21, 2021
When asked who he thinks will win between his friend Dillian Whyte and Tyson Fury, Carty backed Whyte to do the business against the 6ft 9 giant.
"I'm a huge fan of Tyson Fury, don't get me wrong. I like styles, but I think Whyte is too rough for Fury and too smart, and he's going to end up getting clipped and caught in an exchange,” he said.
"Tyson Fury is amazing, he will probably dance around the ring and the two will eventually come together and will get caught. I back Dillian 100 per cent, but I'm not saying that as a friend. I genuinely think he will do the business."
Ireland has had a rich history of boxing talent but has never had a dominant heavyweight in the scene.
Carty aims to become Ireland's next big hope.
When asked if he'd like to fight for the Irish title in Dalymount Park, where his local club Bohemians play, he said he would love it but remained realistic about the prospect due to signing with Matchroom, who stage fights at bigger arenas.
The last fight to be staged there was in 1981 when Charlie Nash defended his European lightweight boxing title at the Phibsborough venue.
Nash was from Derry and had represented Ireland at the 1972 Olympics but was knocked out of the competition in a quarterfinal by the eventual winner, Jan Szczepański of Poland.
"That to me would be a dream come true. "
"Logistically, I don't think it's possible right now because I'd like to fight for an Irish title pretty soon.
"I can't see a Matchroom show coming to Dalymount to anytime soon, unfortunately, he laughed."
"The chance to fight walking distance from my house is the dream, and I'm probably the same distance to Croke Park that I am from Dalymount, so that would be ideal. "
The last Irish heavyweight to lift the belt is Tyson Fury, and Carty wants to follow in the Gypsy King's footsteps.
"Like I said, I'm a big fan of Tyson Fury. The fact that he was the last Irishman to hold that Irish title means so much to me.
"Even though he's fighting my manager and my friend, still that means a lot to me, so that would be dream come true to fight for an Irish title in front of my people in my area would be an absolute dream come true and it's something I can see happening - it's when, not if."
No Carty No party.
Job done 3-0. pic.twitter.com/etlQ2qFV3q— Thomas Carty🇮🇪 (@thomas_carty) March 13, 2022
Carty remains humble and isn't letting the hype around his career inflate his ego, despite coming so far in such a short space of time.
His chill demeanour and willingness to engage with fans is a trait that will stand him well with the Irish public and boxing fans.
Boxing can be about the trash talk and their theatre, but Carty intends to remain loyal to his roots and remain like it never happened and act like he's just living the dream.
"I would hate for anyone to say, ‘Oh god, look at Thomas Carty, He's become an arrogant so and so’,” he says.
“I would hate that because I want to portray a nice clean image, and that's who I am."
"Fighting is entertainment, and I don't need to put on a persona. I'm entertaining as it is already."
One of the most exciting aspects of the Thomas Carty package is his ability to speak fluent Irish
After the fight, Carty spoke in his native tongue in a Matchroom interview.
When asked where did he learn it, he said: “I went to an all Irish school with my four siblings apart from my eldest sister.
“I went to Gaelscoil Colaiste Mhuire in Parnell Square, a five-minute walk from my house and then moved to Cabra.
"I was quite proud of the fact that I could speak Irish. As a family, we always took great pride in it.
"I'm very thankful that my mum put me through an Irish school.
"I'm always trying to keep it up in interviews when presented with media opportunities."
Thomas Carty has been backed to become a superstar in boxing by some of the world's best boxers, and when you watch his interviews, it's inspiring to see someone who remains loyal to his roots through hard work and dedication.
If you haven't heard of the name Thomas Carty yet, you might want to get used to hearing it now.
He is very likely to become an Irish household name within the coming years years, and we would love nothing better.
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