THERE was a new name added to the list of British boxers who have conquered America after Robert McNulty won gold at USA Boxing’s Summer Festival in Las Vegas.
The 22-year-old from Goodfellows ABC headed back to Glasgow with cruiserweight gold after winning three bouts in three days.
He won every bout unanimously and in both the semi-final and final, McNulty beat opponents ranked in the top 10 in the United States.
“That was top international boxing,” said McNulty. “All the top Americans were there.
“It was class and the atmosphere was crazy. It was mobbed.
“[Two-weight world champion] Teofimo Lopez was there, commentating. I could see him at ringside when I was getting in the ring, and having him watching me really switched me on and made me box at my best.
“He is one of the people I have watched on the telly and have made me think: ‘That is where I want to be when I’m older.’
“I was expecting to maybe medal, but I wasn’t expecting gold. Not many boxers go over there and get gold, but I did the right thing in all three fights. I just kept it long.
“I can fight as well, but I stuck to my chess-boxing. I went in there and threw straight shots. I didn’t do anything fancy.”
Preparations for Vegas could have been better.
McNulty returned in May after seven months out with a hand injury and in his comeback bout he lost on a split to Divine Ojomor in the semi-finals of the Tri Nations Championship in Cardiff.
“Last year I fought in the Euros [under-23s] and it didn’t go my way,” he said of losing his opening-bracket bout in Bulgaria.
“Then I had hand trouble and was out for a year.
“I fractured a knuckle on my right hand and every time I thought it was getting better and started throwing punches, it started feeling sore again.
“It was hard. I’m the sort who can’t sit still. If I’m not boxing, I’m running. I could still go out running, but I like punching the best – either the bag or someone else.”
The seven-month wait to punch someone came to an end in Cardiff last month.
McNulty went to Sophia Gardens as the defending Tri Nations Champion and was beaten by Ojomor (England).
“I was coming off a long break and I reckon if I had an opportunity to fight for the Tri Nations now, I would win,” said McNulty, “but it has worked out well for me.”
Boxing Scotland gave McNulty a chance to put the disappointment behind him when they named him as one of seven boxers they were taking to Vegas.
Niamh Mitchell (Bowhill Miners) came back with silver after a 3-2 loss to Alisha Crockett in their 60kgs final, and there were bronze medals for Leo Church (65kgs) and Josh Mullen (80kgs).
In the quarter-finals, McNulty was paired with Pennsylvania’s Frank Henius.
“He was a strong boy,” said the Scot. “He was big for the weight and I was a bit curious to start with, but it ended up being one of my easiest fights.”
Next came another American, Brandon Starring.
“Technically, he was better [than Henius] and his IQ was higher,” said McNulty, “but I found my distance and boxed him for the three rounds.”
The final promised to be tougher, but again, McNulty stuck to his boxing to win unanimously.
“The plan was the same in all three bouts,” he said.
McNulty is hoping for further opportunities at the World Championship in Liverpool in September and the European Under-23 Championship in Armenia the following month.
He says “the big one” is next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
“I want medals in them [the Worlds and European under-23s],” said McNulty. “I want the coaches looking at my results and saying: ‘We have to pick him for the Commonwealth Games.’
“I need to win these fights, because the Commonwealth Games is the big one for me.”
McNulty has some memories of the last Commonwealth Games held in the city, in 2014.
Josh Taylor and Charlie Flynn won golds for Scotland.
“I started boxing in 2013,” said McNulty, “and even though it was just a hobby to start with, I do remember wee bits of the Commonwealth Games.
“I was watching it on telly thinking: ‘I wish that is me one day.’”
