Irish boxing's high performance head coach retires

Zaur Antia succeeded Billy Walsh as head coach of the IABA's high performance unit

Zaur Antia, head coach of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association's high performance unit, has announced his retirement after 10 years in the role.

The 63-year-old Georgian has been a crucial figure in Irish boxing for more than two decades.

His final campaign as head coach was the 2025 World Boxing Championships, where Team Ireland secured a gold medal courtesy of Aoife O'Rourke and bronze medals for Grainne Walsh and Patsy Joyce.

Antia left his native country in 2003 to join the newly-established high performance unit as a technical coach, rising to his current position in 2016.

He played a significant part in guiding Irish boxers to winning 35 qualification places at five separate Olympic Games - Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, achieving 10 Olympic medals, along with a similar number of world medals.

Among the Olympic highlights were double gold for Kellie Harrington in Paris and Tokyo, double bronze for Paddy Barnes in Beijing and London, and Olympic golds for Katie Taylor.

Irish boxers have also won 15 medals at European Games and 50 European Elite medals under Zauri's coaching since 2004.

"I am very privileged to have been able to spend so many years doing a job I have loved," said Zauri.

"I have watched young athletes walk into the gym with big dreams. Their hunger to learn, their respect for the craft, and their willingness to push through the toughest moments inspired me.

"Ireland has given me a home, and its boxers have given me purpose. To stand in their corner, to share in their struggles and their triumphs, was an honour."