Mullingar's John Joe poised to turn pro

Paul HughesMullingar Olympic silver medal-winning boxer John Joe Nevin looks set to announce his decision to go professional on RTÉ tonight.Speculation has been rife as to what lies ahead of John Joe - who has been touring schools in Westmeath for the last fortnight - but it looks as though he will finally address his future on RTÉ's Saturday Night Show with Brendan O'Connor (9.40pm).Negotiations concluded recently will see the Mullingar native join the stable of pro-boxer and agent Amir Khan.His decision comes as a blow for Irish amateur boxing, amid rumblings last week that Nevin might have been tempted to stay in the amateur game, and seek a gold medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016.By going pro, John Joe follows the likes of Wayne McCullough, Michael Carruth, Bernard Dunne and Andy Lee, who have all tested the pro waters after excelling in the amateur world.John Joe has stated his hope that the first bout of his pro career would take place at Mullingar's Cusack Park.