There is a confidence flowing through the Irish amateur boxing fraternity that is quite unprecedented.

The torch lit in Beijing by medallists Ken Egan, Darren Sutherland and Paddy Barnes is being carried on over the next fortnight by those heading to the Commonwealth Youth Games and even more significantly those who travel off to the World junior championships in Mexico on Sunday.

The self-belief in every one of the boxers is no accident and there are four Ulstermen, Tommy McCarthy, Tyrone McKenna, Tyrone McCullagh and Ruari Dalton who have caught the fire and hoping for success in South America.

Dalton (pictured) has enjoyed a dramatic rise over the past 12 months from the fringe to Irish and Ulster senior finalist and there were many who felt he was robbed of the provincial title when losing out to four-time champion Jamie Conlan. Dalton, of St John's ABC, has also filled out and in his words "grown a couple of inches" over the summer which augers well for his bid at the World juniors.

"I have grown a bit but you know I'm still making the weight easily," says Dalton, who like all the top Irish boxers is enjoying the benefits of the High Performance unit in Dublin.

"I'm just eating the right stuff now. Don't forget last year I was a bantamweight and my coach Frankie (McCourt) told me I could be flyweight if I wanted. So out went the burgers and the chicken nuggets.

"Frankie said if I could get down to flyweight he would enter me into the Irish seniors and it went very well — it was strange being in my first Irish final before my first Ulster final. The Ulster final was hard to take, it hurt a lot. I thought I outscored him by about six points but he got the decision. I'll be back this year looking for revenge. You have to just move on because that's boxing.

"The High Performance training has been great, particularly with sparring. I've been sparring with Conor Ahern — he's very aggressive, very intense and it's been great. I feel that I've handled him quite well.

"Now I feel much stronger at the weight and going to Mexico all the lads are looking for medals. That's the confidence we have in the Irish camp now.

"We know that out training is giving us the chance to beat anyone in the world so that means that if I draw a Russian in Mexico I don't care because I know that on my day I can beat anyone. The Olympics was fantastic for Irish boxing and I think everyone was inspired by the guys out in Beijing and we want to keep the run going. The sport is flying at the moment, we don't fear anyone and we can't wait to take on the best in the world."