Ireland didn’t have to “Waite” long for at least a third silver medal at the Gee Bee Multi-Nations in Helsinki, Finland today.

TJ Waite guaranteed the Irish squad a third silver after recording a split decision over Belgium’s Dodji Ayigah this afternoon.

Waite joins Michael O’Reilly in Sunday’s finals. Darren O’Neill also won his semi-final bout today, the Kilkenny southpaw beating Italy’s Tommaso Rossano.

However, O’Neill picked up a cut in the clash and has withdrawn from the heavyweight decider with Kazakhstan’s Vasilly Levitt tomorrow.

Earlier today, O’Reilly beat England’s Troy Williamson to move to within one win of gold at the 35th edition of the tournament.

But Stephen McKenna had to settle for a semi-final finish this morning.

O’Reilly, ranked No. 2 in the World, recorded a unanimous verdict (30-27 across the board) over the Darlington ABC middleweight to set up Sunday’s 75kg final with France’s Christian M’Billi Assomo,who claimed Gee Bee gold in 2014.

McKenna, in his first appearance at this level, was beaten on a unanimous by Russian light-fly Bator Sagalajev, who edged Ireland’s Brendan Irvine on a split decision in last year’s European Games final.

Irish interim head coach Zaur Antia hailed the performances of O’Reilly, O’Neill and Waite and described McKenna’s gutsy and skilful display against the World No.17 as outstanding.

 

Gee Bee Multi-Nations Helsinki, Finland March 11/14

March 11th

Q/Finals

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Giovanni Sarachiato (Italy) 3-0

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) lost to Aleksai Mazur (Russia) 1-2

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) beat Tadas Tamasauskas (Lithuania) 3-0

March 12th

S/Finals

49kg Stephen McKenna (Ireland) lost to Bator Sagalajev (Russia) 0-3

52kg TJ Waite (Ireland) beat Dodji Ayigah (Belgium) 2-1

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Troy Williamson (England) 3-0

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) beat Tommaso Rossano (Italy) 3-0

March 13th

Finals

52kg TJ Waite (Ireland) v Ovik Ogannisian (Russia)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Christian M’Billi Assomo (France)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) lost to  Vasilly Levitt (Kazakhstan) W/O (O’Neill injured in s/finals)
Irish squad

49kg Stephen McKenna (Old School) (Bronze)

52kg TJ Waite (Ormeau Road) (Silver, at least)

64kg Dean Walsh (St Josephs/St Ibars)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise) (Silver, at least)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown) (Silver)

Coaches: Zaur Antia, Noel Burke

Physio: Ursla Brooks

 

World boxing powerhouses Ireland, Russia, Cuba and Kazakhstan will go head-to-head in seven of Sunday’s quarter-finals at the Pavlyukov Memorial in Anapa, Russia tomorrow.

The Boys in Green recorded six wins out of seven today to set up the last-eight showdowns by the banks of the Black Sea.

Kieran Molloy, Kevin Kehoe, Aaron McKenna, James McGivern, Paddy Donovan and Michael Nevin had their hands raised in victory to join Brian Kennedy in the last-eight.

Irish captain Shane Flavin was very unlucky to bow out on a split decision to home favourite Ruslan Sinicyn in the flyweight class.

“It was a fantastic day and we’re very pleased with all the performances of our boys. This squad is a developing squad and they are making excellent progress at a very prestigious tournament. We have seven in quarter-final action tomorrow and all seven, as always, will be giving it 100%,“ said Irish coach Billy McClean.

Boxing begins at 9am (Irish time) on Sunday morning.

 

Pavlyukov Youth Memorial Anapa, Russia March 11/16

March 12th

Preliminaries (last 16)

52kg Shane Flavin (Ireland) lost to Ruslan Sinicyn (Russia) 1-2

64kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Tyler Jolly (Scotland) 2-1

56kg Aaron McKenna (Ireland) beat William Stuart (Scotland) 2-1

56kg James McGivern (Ireland) beat Mamapali Nursuit (Kyrgyzstan) 3-0

60kg Paddy Donovan (Ireland) beat Hamraous Loures (France) 3-0

69kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) beat Aybek Akylkbekuulu (Kyrgyzstan) 3-0

75kg Kevin Kehoe (Ireland) beat Jack Gipp (Australia) 3-0

March 13th

Q/FinalS

56kg Aaron McKenna (Ireland) v Denis Darilov (Russia)

56kg James McGivern (Ireland) v  Sanatali Taltaev (Kazakhstan)

60kg Paddy Donovan (Ireland) v  Artem Butaev (Russia)

64kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) v Dmitry Zubko (Russia)

69kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) v  Vladimir Tolozyam (Russia) or TBC

75kg Kevin Kehoe (Ireland) v Lenar Perez-Fransua (Cuba)

81kg Brian Kennedy (Ireland) v Sergey Murashey (Russia)

 

Irish squad

52kg Shane Flavin (Paulstown)
56kg Aaron McKenna (Old School)
56kg James McGivern (St Georges)
60kg Paddy Donovan (OLOL)
64kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard)
69kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
75kg Kevin Keogh (Marble City)
81kg Brian Kennedy (St Marys D)

Team manager: Gerry O’Mahony
Coaches: Billy McClean & Fergal McKenna
Physio Orla O’Rourke
R&J: Larry Durand

 

Darren O’Neill will meet Italian heavyweight Tommaso Rossano in the semi-finals of the Gee Bee Multi-Nations in Helsinki, Finland today.

Team Ireland assumed that O’Neill was meeting Vassili Levitt of Kazakhstan this morning. However, Levitt faces Tomi Honka of Finland in the corresponding semi-final.

O’Neill, Michael O’Reilly, Stephen McKenna and TJ Waite are in last-four action throughout the day. McKenna is up first in the 3rd bout on this morning’s program, followed by O’Reilly (9th bout) and O’Neill (13th bout). Boxing begins at 11am (Irish time).

O’Reilly is in against England’s Troy Williamson, who was beaten by Ireland’s Conor Coyle in the preliminaries of the 2015 Gee Bee.

Waite is in action in the 4th bout in the evening program. Boxing begins at 4pm (Irish time). All four Irish boxers weighed-in this morning.

 

 

Gee Bee Multi-Nations Helsinki, Finland March 11/14

 

March 11th

 

Q/Finals

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Giovanni Sarachiato (Italy) 3-0

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) lost to Aleksai Mazur (Russia) 1-2

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) beat Tadas Tamasauskas (Lithuania) 3-0

 

March 12th

49kg Stephen McKenna (Ireland) v Bator Sagalajev (Russia)

52kg TJ Waite (Ireland) v Dodji Ayigah (Belgium)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Troy Williamson (England)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) v  Tommaso Rossano (Italy)

 

Irish squad

49kg Stephen McKenna (Old School)

52kg TJ Waite (Ormeau Road)

64kg Dean Walsh (St Josephs/St Ibars)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

Coaches: Zaur Antia, Noel Burke

Physio: Ursla Brooks

 

 

Darren O’Neill joined Michael O’Reilly, TJ Waite and Stephen McKenna in Saturday’s semi-finals of the Gee Multi-Nations in Helsinki, Finland.

The Kilkenny southpaw beat Lithuanian heavyweight Tadas Tamasauskas on a unanimous decision tonight to book his ticket into the last-four.

Wexford’s Dean Walsh bowed out on a split decision this evening to Russian light-welter Aleksai Mazur.

Earlier today, Michael O’Reilly scored a unanimous decision over Italian middleweight Giovanni Sarachiato to get Ireland off to a winning start at the 35th edition of the tournament.

Waite and McKenna received byes into the semi-finals and will have their first fights tomorrow.

All four boxers are guaranteed at least bronze.

 

Gee Bee Multi-Nations Helsinki, Finland March 11/14

March 11th

Q/Finals

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Giovanni Sarachiato (Italy) 3-0

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) lost to Aleksai Mazur (Russia) 1-2

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) beat Tadas Tamasauskas (Lithuania) 3-0

March 12th

S/Finals

49kg Stephen McKenna (Ireland) v Bator Sagalajev (Russia)

52kg TJ Waite (Ireland) v Dodji Ayigah (Belgium)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v T Williamson (England)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) v Vassily Levitt (Kazakhstan)

 

Irish squad

49kg Stephen McKenna (Old School)

52kg TJ Waite (Ormeau Road)

64kg Dean Walsh (St Josephs/St Ibars)

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

Coaches: Zaur Antia, Noel Burke

Physio: Ursla Brooks

 

 

Ireland’s Youths get their Pavlyukov Memorial campaign underway in Anapa, Russia tomorrow.

Irish captain Shane Flavin, Kieran Molloy, Kevin Kehoe, Michael Nevin, Aaron McKenna, Paddy Donovan and James McGivern are between the ropes.

Brian Kennedy received a bye into the last-eight and meets Russia on Sunday with at least a bronze medal up for grabs.

The squad have been training  and sparring with the host nation, Cuba, Azerbaijan, Scotland and a number of other countries in Anapa for the last number of days in the build up to the tournament know as the mini World Championships.

“All the top nations are here at a very prestigious tournament. The boys have had an excellent training camp here in Anapa and are ready to give it 100% tomorrow,” said Irish coach Billy McClean.

Boxing begins at 9am (Irish time) tomorrow morning and will run straight through. Fifty four bouts will be resolved in both rings on Saturday.

 

Pavlyukov Memorial Anapa, Russia March 11/16

March 12th

Preliminaries (last 16)

Morning session – (8am Irish time)

52kg Shane Flavin (Ireland) v Rusian Sinicyn (Russia)

64kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) v Tyler Jolly (Scotland)

75kg Kevin Kehoe (Ireland) v Jack Gipp (Australia)

56kg Aaron McKenna (Ireland) v Stuart Williams (Scotland)

56kg James McGivern (Ireland) v Mamapali  Nursuit (Kyrgyzstan)

60kg Paddy Donovan  (Ireland) v Hamraous Loures (France)

69kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) v Aybek Akylkbekuulu (Kyrgyzstan)

March 13th

Q/Final

81kg Brian Kennedy (Ireland) v Sergey Murashey (Russia)

 

Irish squad

52kg Shane Flavin (Paulstown)
56kg Aaron McKenna (Old School)
56kg James McGivern (St Georges)
60kg Paddy Donovan (OLOL)
64kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard)
69kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
75kg Kevin Keogh (Marble City)
81kg Brian Kennedy (St Marys D)

Team manager: Gerry O’Mahony
Coaches: Billy McClean & Fergal McKenna
Physio Orla O’Rourke
R&J: Larry Durand