Michael Carruth
Encyclopedia
Michael Carruth is a southpaw Irish
Olympic
boxer
from Dublin who won the welterweight gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
. Carruth has just finished a stint as expert boxing analyst for RTE
s Olympic coverage. He is currently involved in the GAA
, being a masseur to the Westmeath senior football team
.
Lightweight Boxing:
1992 Olympics
Welterweight Boxing:
Carruth's medal was Ireland's first ever gold medal in boxing, only a couple of hours after teammate Wayne McCullough
had to settle for the silver in bantamweight. It was also the first Olympic gold medal for Ireland since Ronnie Delaney won the Men's 1500m event at the 1956 Olympic Games
in Melbourne
.
Within a few days of winning his Olympic medal the Government of Ireland announced that Carruth has been instantly promoted to sergeant
within the Irish Army
in recognition of his achievement at the Olympics. And, on the day of his return to Ireland, local pubs dropped the price of beer to that of 1956.
in the Irish Army
. He was trained by former Irish
Boxing
great Steve Collins
. He had limited success as a pro, losing in both of his defining pro bouts; in 1997 against Mihai Leu
for the WBO Welterweight
title and in 2000 against Adrian Stone for the IBO Light Middleweight
title. He retired in 2000, after the loss to Stone, with a career professional record of 18-3-0.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
from Dublin who won the welterweight gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
. Carruth has just finished a stint as expert boxing analyst for RTE
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
s Olympic coverage. He is currently involved in the GAA
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
, being a masseur to the Westmeath senior football team
Westmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
.
Olympic results
1988 OlympicsBoxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Boxing at the 1988 Summer Olympics took place in the Chamshil Students' Gymnasium in Seoul. The boxing schedule began on September 17 and ended on October 2. Twelve boxing events were contested, with the participation of 441 athletes and 159 officials from 106 countries...
Lightweight Boxing:
- 1st round bye
- Defeated Satoru Higashi (Japan) 5-0
- Lost to George Scott (Sweden) KO by 1
1992 Olympics
Boxing at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Boxing at the 1992 Summer Olympics took place in the old Pavelló Club Joventut de Badalona in Barcelona. The boxing schedule began on July 26 and ended on August 9...
Welterweight Boxing:
- 1st round bye
- 2nd Round (last 16): Defeated Mikaele Masoe (American Samoa) 11-2
- Quarter-final: Defeated Andreas Otto (Germany) 35-22
- Semi-final: Defeated Arkhom ChenglaiArkhom ChenglaiArkhom Chenglai is a Thai boxer. At the 1992 Summer Olympics he won a bronze medal in the men's Welterweight category, together with Aníbal Acevedo of Puerto Rico.In Muay thai his name is Issara Sakgreerin...
(Thailand) 11-4 - Final: Defeated Juan Hernández SierraJuan Hernández SierraJuan Hernández Sierra is a retired boxer from Cuba, who competed in the welterweight Juan Hernández Sierra (born March 16, 1969) is a retired boxer from Cuba, who competed in the welterweight Juan Hernández Sierra (born March 16, 1969) is a retired boxer from Cuba, who competed in the welterweight...
(Cuba) 13-10
Carruth's medal was Ireland's first ever gold medal in boxing, only a couple of hours after teammate Wayne McCullough
Wayne McCullough
Wayne William McCullough is a professional boxer. During his professional career, which spans back to 1993, he held the WBC title in the Bantamweight category...
had to settle for the silver in bantamweight. It was also the first Olympic gold medal for Ireland since Ronnie Delaney won the Men's 1500m event at the 1956 Olympic Games
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
Within a few days of winning his Olympic medal the Government of Ireland announced that Carruth has been instantly promoted to sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
within the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
in recognition of his achievement at the Olympics. And, on the day of his return to Ireland, local pubs dropped the price of beer to that of 1956.
Pro career
Carruth turned pro in 1994 after taking leave from his job as a soldierSoldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
in the Irish Army
Irish Army
The Irish Army, officially named simply the Army is the main branch of the Defence Forces of Ireland. Approximately 8,500 men and women serve in the Irish Army, divided into three infantry Brigades...
. He was trained by former Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
Boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
great Steve Collins
Steve Collins
Stephen Collins, more commonly known as Steve Collins, is a former professional boxer. Known as the "The Celtic Warrior", Collins is the former WBO middleweight and super middleweight champion....
. He had limited success as a pro, losing in both of his defining pro bouts; in 1997 against Mihai Leu
Mihai Leu
Mihai Leu also known as Michael Loewe is a Romanian former professional boxer who lived and fought out of Hamburg, Germany. He is the former WBO Welterweight Champion....
for the WBO Welterweight
Welterweight
Welterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
title and in 2000 against Adrian Stone for the IBO Light Middleweight
Light middleweight
Light Middleweight , is a weight division in professional boxing, above 147 pounds and up to 154 pounds ....
title. He retired in 2000, after the loss to Stone, with a career professional record of 18-3-0.