Team Ireland secured two wins on the second day of the World Boxing Championships, one by way of RSC.
540 boxers from 66 federations are contesting these champions, the first in which men and women compete for World gold together. The competition, staged at Liverpool’s M&S Arena, is the biggest ever Olympic-style boxing event held in the UK,
65kg Paris Olympian Grainne Walsh has won her opening bout against Slovakia’s Jessica Triebelova 5-0 in fine style, stymying her opponent by constant changes in angles, and attack combinations. Judges scored the bout: 30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 29:28, 30:27. Grainne is next in action in Monday’s Evening Session. She’ll Mariana Soto Torres of Spain, who recorded a 5-0 win over Ukraine’s Nataliia Merinova on Friday.
Speaking to World Boxing after her bout, Grainne said “The first fight of any major tournament can be daunting – not that it’s any different, it’s a ring anywhere in the world but -just getting the feel of things and getting the ball rolling. I’m impressed and proud of my performance there. And, like our coaches always say, look after the performance, the results will come. That’s what I’ve tried to practice in the camp, being present and just enjoying it – because there’s not that many people that get to say they’re living their dream. I’m very privileged to be here.”
And on her tactical preparation before the bout, Grainne says “We looked at footage of her before the bout, by my approach is to bring the best version of me. They’re also coming up with a plan to try and beat me so, if I’m the best version of Grainne Walsh, I believe I’m up there with the very best of them”
A sensational result for Team Ireland’s Michaela Walsh, winning her opening bout against Saudi Arabia’s Hadeel Ashbour by way of 1st round RSC. Michaela boxes her Last 16 bout in Sunday’s Evening Session. She’ll meet the winner of the match between Taipei’s Shih-Yi Wu and Croatia’s Nikolina Cacic in a couple of hours
Not to be on this occasion for 75kg Gavin Rafferty. He came up against Azerbaijan’s Saidjamshid Jafarov, a two time Asian continental champion and a 2023 World silver medalist. Gavin boxed with great heart against the vastly more experienced boxer. The judges scored the bout 30: 27, 30: 27, 30: 27, 30: 27, 30: 26
50kg Louis Rooney exits the championships on a dreaded split, following a high calibre, high octane Last 32 bout against Huthaifa Eshish of Jordan. Judges scored the bout 27:30; 28:29; 29:28; 30:27; 30:27, while superheavy, Martin McDonagh, bows out of the World Championships following a split decision loss to India’s Narender Narender. They were level on all cards going in to the last in a very tight bout. The final scores were: 29:28; 28:29; 29:28; 29:27; 29:28
Afternoon Session results are here and Evening Session results are here
Day Three
Four boxers are in action on Saturday. Afternoon Sessions begin at 11am, and Evening Sessions at 6pm.
There’s a meeting of Paris Olympians in Ring A’s Afternoon Session. 51kg Daina Moorehouse meets Spain’s Laura Fuertes Fernandez in Bout 6. Fuertes Fernandez is a World, European Games and Mediterranean Games bronze medalist. Next up, also in the Afternoon Session, is Donegal’s Matthew McCole. Contesting at 70kg, the Illies Golden Glove boxer makes his competition debut against 25 yr old Ronald Chavez Jr of the Philippines. That’s Bout 11 of Ring B’s Afternoon Session.
Waterford’s Zara Breslin, contesting at 60kg, opens her account in Ring B’s Evening Session tomorrow, against Turkish veteran, Gizem Ozer. She’s a European Games and Mediterranean Games bronze medalist, and came home with silver the 2022 European U22 Championships.
The last Team Ireland boxer in action on Saturday is Team Co-Captain, double Olympian and four-time continental champion, Aoife O’Rourke. She’s up in Bout 7 of Ring B’s Evening Session, against Czech Republic’s Monika Langerova
The programme is available here
Watch
World Boxing has partnered with Eurovision Sport to broadcast the Championship. Coverage available HERE,
The championship website, where tickets are available for purchase, is HERE
Team Ireland
51kg Daina Moorehouse, of Enniskerry BC, Wicklow. Daina is from Bray, Co. Wicklow.
54kg Jenny Lehane of DCU Boxing Club, Dublin. Jenny is from Ashbourne, Co. Meath
57kg Michaela Walsh of Holy Family Golden Gloves BC Belfast.
60kg Zara Breslin of Tramore BC, Waterford.
65kg Grainne Walsh of St. Mary’s BC, Tallaght, Dublin. Grainne is from Tullamore, Co. Offaly
70kg Lisa O’Rourke of Castlerea BC, Co. Roscommon
75kg Aoife O’Rourke of Castlerea BC, Co. Roscommon. Team Co-Captain
50kg Louis Rooney of Star BC, Belfast
55kg Patsy Joyce of Olympic BC, Mullingar Co. Westmeath
60kg Adam Hession of Monivea BC, Co. Galway. Team Co-Captain
65kg Dean Clancy of Sean McDermott BC, Co. Leitrim. Dean is from Co. Sligo
70kg Matthew McCole of Illies Golden Glove BC Co. Donegal
75kg Gavin Rafferty of Dublin Docklands Boxing Club
80kg Kelyn Cassidy of Saviours Crystal BC, Co. Waterford
85kg Brian Kennedy of St. Brigid’s BC Edenderry Co. Offaly
90kg Jack Marley of Monkstown BC, Dublin
90+kg Martin McDonagh of Galway BC
Support Staff
- Team Manager: Jon Mackey, National Performance Director
- Head Coach: Zauri Antia
- Coaches: Damain Kennedy, Lynne McEnery, Eoin Pluck, James Doyle and JP Delaney
- Doctor: Jim Clover
- Lead Physio: Rob Tuomey
- Performance Analyst: Alan Swanton
- Logistics Support: Sean Crowley, High Performance Manager