Brunker Meets Olympic Hero Kenny Egan
EGAN SWAPPING LOVE FOR THE GLOVES
'Once I'm back training for my dream of turning pro, the boozing and the women are out the door'
IT'S OFFICIAL, Kenny Egan has fallen in love.
No, not with Bianca Gascoigne, Chantelle Houghton or our own Claire Tully.
The good news, ladies, is that it's with New York; bad news, the nation's favourite hunk in trunks is so smitten that he could be moving there soon.
After controversially missing out on the gold medal at Beijing in August, the boxing champ has been courted with many offers to leave the relatively safe world of amateur boxing, and punch his way into the hardcore professional ring.
He's been wooed by agents as far away as LA, but he flew over there and hated it.
And he's even turned down an offer of management by Irish boxing hero Barry McGuigan, but last weekend's trip to New York seems to have been different. "I could feel a fire in my belly," gushed the Olympian.
Pro
"I stepped up onto the ring at Madison Square Gardens and the nerves hit me. I started to think that this was what I really wanted."
Unfortunately, he wasn't forthcoming with the scoop I wanted. He understandably wouldn't go on the record to say he was going to accept this New York offer to turn pro, though if I was a gambling woman I'd bet my mortgage on it.
"Nothing's been signed - but I'm still undecided," he teased. "At first I was 50/50 on whether to turn pro. Now after New York I'm leaning towards 70/30.
"The people I met in New York were goodpeople. Joe Winters was the guy who I met with and he wants to make me a superstar.
"He only sold his company for €260 million last year and it was his dream to take OLYMPIC HERO KENNY EGAN an unknown Irish boxer over to America and make him a superstar.
"There's a lot to think about though. Pro boxing is a totally different sport. If I did take this offer, I'd be off to New York straight away, and the dream would be to have my first fight in Madison Square Gardens on Paddy's Day."
For now though, he's keeping himself busy in Ireland after launching his new DVD, which is a fly-on-the-wall documentary that chronicles his return from Beijing, some interviews with his celebrity pals, and takes you up until his first viewing of his final fateful fight that left him feeling cheated, and carrying home a silver medal instead of a gold.
As he's also been busy enjoying a few celebratory scoops as well, and says he's feeling "in bits".
"I've another couple of weeks touring around promoting the DVD and getting to meet the fans which will be great, but then I'll be looking forward to getting back into a routine and back into the gym," he reveals.
He also admits on the DVD that "I've always done well with the ladies", even though he split from long-term girlfriend Karen Sullivan after coming home from Beijing. However, he remains the ultimate gentleman when it comes to discussing any recent conquests.
"I'd much prefer to be on the back pages of the newspapers for my sporting achievements than on the front pages. There's been a lot of s**t written about me, and while it doesn't upset me, I don't like for me ma to have to see it. I wouldn't mind if it were true, but it's
not."
Annoyed
He did, however, appear a tad annoyed with a certain young wan he met on a night out in Dublin's Krystle nightclub which landed him on the gossip pages.
"I've only been the once," he says, slightly exasperated, of Ireland's newest celeb hangout.
He is still open to the possibility of romancing young ladies. But be warned, the clock is apparently ticking.
"Once I'm back in training, booze and women are out the door."
Really?
"Well, when I'm off the drink I'm a lot more choosy anyway," he laughs. "Once I'm back training the closest I get to a social life is a few Sprites down the local with the lads to catch up on the gossip."
He believes that he was cheated out of a gold medal at the Olympics, but he's now moving on and isn't bitter.
"I couldn't bring myself to watch the fight until last week. But I sat upstairs here [in Dublin's National Stadium] with my trainer and we counted the points. I know I won that fight. But I suppose it's tough to beat a Chinaman in China.
"It could be appealed alright, but it would be mad money to do it. When I arrived home and had the whole support of the country behind me, I might as well have won the gold. So I'm happy I did my country proud."
Finally, now that he's had a taste of money after a spree of TV ads and personal appearances - he's also on the books of Assets model agency alongside Westlife, Girls Aloud and, ahem, yours truly - he says he's saving his money, and only splashed out on one indulgence, a pair of shorts worn by the all-time boxing great, Mohammed Ali.
"Ali is the ultimate superstar in my eyes. I bought a pair of his shorts and they're framed with a photograph of him with his Olympic team in 1960, and a pair of tickets to the opening ceremony.
"I really wanted them. He's a true inspiration. That year he won the gold in my weight. It just goes to show that it is possible to move over from amateur to pro. Ali is the perfect motivator."
Personally I hope he does make the transition over to professional boxing, and I hope if he does take Joe Winters' offer up in New York, that he manages him well.
Right now it's all in the lap of the gods if he's to become the superstar that he dreams of being, but either way it was so nice to meet a young guy who's on the cusp of something big.
And Kenny, don't be worrying about making a few headlines with the ladies. The Irish love a rogue, and I can't imagine your ma will be too upset to find out that you're a hit with the girls.
Kenny Egan's DVD 'Back from Beijing' is on sale now.