Darren John SUTHERLAND

Although born in Dublin, Darren Sutherland’s childhood was split between Ireland, England and his father’s Caribbean home island of St. Vincent. He took up boxing at the age of fifteen and soon based himself in the North of England at the Sheffield gym of ex-pat Irishman Brendan Ingle in anticipation of a career as a professional boxer. Homesickness drove him back to Ireland before he joined the pro ranks and he resumed his schooling and eventually gained a qualification in sports science at Dublin City University.

After reaching the semi-finals of the Irish Championships in both 2003 and 2004 he had a breakthrough year in 2005 and won major international tournaments in Russia and England but was defeated at the World Championships by the eventual gold medallist Korobov of Russia. He won the Irish title the following year but his career was put in jeopardy when he suffered an eye muscle injury during a bout in an Ireland-Russia match. He spent six months out of action but was allowed to return to the ring. Sutherland reappeared in 2007 and won the European Union Championships on home soil in Dublin though his medal ambitions at the World Championships in Chicago were ended in the last sixteen by Alfonso Blanco. After qualifying for the Olympics at the last qualifying tournament he gained revenge over Blanco en route to an Olympic medal.

Sutherland turned professional after the Games and had won his first four fights impressively when in September 2009 he was found hanged in his London home having apparently committed suicide.