BOXING EUROPEAN SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS:SEVEN IRISH boxers will compete in the quarter-finals stages of the European Senior Championships in Moscow over the next 48 hours following a hat-trick of wins at the Ice Palace in the Russian capital yesterday.
John Joe Nevin, who celebrated his 21st birthday yesterday, handed himself the perfect present with a classy 6-1 win over French champion Nourdine Ait Ihya and will now meet England’s Gamal Yafai tomorrow.
Donegal featherweight Tyrone McCullagh and St Michael’s Athy lightweight Eric Donovan are also just one win away from also securing bronze.
Both had overwhelming victories in their bouts, with McCullagh beating Moldova’s Piotr Apostol 13-2, while Donovan took a 10-2 decision against Dmitry Bulenkov of the Ukraine.
But 2008 World Youth champion Ray Moylette from the St Anne’s club was agonisingly edged out on a double countback, after a 5-5 draw with German light-welterweight David Mueller.
The first countback finished level, but when it went back to the five ringside judges a majority gave the German the nod.
European boxing chiefs have yet to release the countback scores.
Yesterday’s hat-trick made it 12 victories from 14 in the opening three days of competition for Ireland and also means seven Irish boxers are within a bout of claiming at least bronze today and tomorrow.
Ken Egan, Darren O’Neill, John Joe Joyce and McCullagh will be the first to be involved in last eight duels today, followed by Paddy Barnes, Eric Donovan and Nevin tomorrow.
Any victory will guarantee Ireland’s first medal at the tournament – but Irish head coach Billy Walsh reckons it will be tough.
“Kenny’s opponent beat a Ukrainian in the last round and that has to be respected,” he said.
“Darren is in against a very tough-looking Ukrainian and I don’t think there will be much in it when the final bell goes.
“There’s medals up for grabs now and if the lads bring their A game to the ring I would be confident.
“We have won 12 of our 14 bouts out here over three days and we are obviously very happy with what we have achieved so far as we have seven into the quarter-finals.
“But I was very disappointed for Ray. He fought back very well from being 2-0 down to go 4-2 ahead in the third round. And to go out on a double count-back is very hard.”
Meanwhile, Walsh revealed that the Irish squad presented Nevin with a cake for his birthday yesterday morning – but he wasn’t allowed eat it.
“I told him he could look at the cake but he couldn’t eat any of it until after the tournament is over,” joked Walsh.
“The lads had a presentation for him in the canteen this morning and they gave him a card and sang happy birthday to him.
“The other international squads joined in and he got a rousing rendition. It was a special day for him. He boxed very well against the French lad and he’s right in there with a chance for a medal now.”
RESULTS:
European Senior Championships(Moscow) (Last 16) 54Kg: John Joe Nevin (Ireland) bt Nourdine Ait Ihya (France) 6-1; 57Kg: Tyrone McCullagh (Ireland) bt Piotr Apostol (Moldova) 13-2; 60Kg: Eric Donovan (Ireland) bt Dmitry Bulenkov (Ukraine) 10-2; 64Kg: Ray Moylette (Ireland) lost to David Mueller (Germany) 5-5 (double countback).
Quarter-finals, Today, 57Kg:Tyrone McCullagh (Ireland) v Azat Hovhannisyan (Armenia); 69Kg: John Joe Joyce (Ireland) v Taras Shelestyuk (Ukraine); 75Kg: Darren O'Neill (Ireland) v Sergey Derevyanchenko (Ukraine); 81Kg: Ken Egan (Ireland) v Ainar Karlson (Estonia) Tomorrow, 48Kg:Paddy Barnes (Ireland) v Thomas Stubbs (England); 54Kg: John Joe Nevin (Ireland) v Gamal Yafai (England); 60Kg: Eric Donovan (Ireland) v Miklos Varga (Hungary).
