Irish boxer Kenny Egan has given his most detailed account yet of the post-Olympic breakdown which last year threatened to end his career.

The boxer has vowed to "do it all differently" as he aims for a place in the European Boxing Championships in Moscow in June.

Egan told the Sunday Tribune about the circumstances in which he failed to turn up to represent Ireland in a bout against America.

"I slipped up," Egan said. "I made a mistake. At the time there was media everywhere, my family were under huge pressure, and I had split from my girlfriend. So what I did was I just packed up and went to New York. I missed the match and all I could say afterwards to the people in Ireland was that I was sorry, because I was, and I am."

While in New York, Egan posted cryptic messages on his Twitter page, saying "This could be my last tweet for a while. Cannot say any more!!!! Kenny Egan has left the building. Take care y'all!!". The messages caused considerable alarm.

"Everything was crazy at the time and I couldn't handle it. I would be walking down the street with a friend and next of all someone would be pointing at me and using their camera phone.

"I was younger and a lot more naive. I didn't know where I was going professionally, either. There was talk of me going from amateur to pro."

Egan said that this year, he is keeping it simple by interacting with less media, staying on track with his family and, crucially, staying single. Egan had been dating former Miss Ireland contestant Collette McBarron.

He is currently in Donegal in an effort to keep out of the public eye while he trains.

"I have to stay away from the madness in order to be able to concentrate. Friends would be texting and asking me to go for drinks, so I have to stay out of the way for my own good right now. I am working my way towards the championships, so it's all a matter of being physically and mentally strong. And yes, I am mentally strong this time around," he said.

After the European championships, Egan won't be taking a holiday, but will instead be taking part in a charity trek to Uganda organised by Children's Charity A-Z.

"In the first week we will be on a trek, raising money, and we will build houses on the second for the charity."

A-Z CEO Brian Iredale is offering members of the Irish public a chance to trek with Egan on 18 June, details of which are on the charity's website, azkids.ie.

Egan said he also hopes to compete in the London 2012 Olympics, after which point he will consider retiring.

"I'll be 30 at that stage, so it might be time then to step down and retire, but we'll see."