Christina Desmond, Ceire Smith and Katie Taylor

A five-strong Irish Athletic Third-Level Boxing Association team depart Friday for the World University Boxing Championships in Thailand.

Ceire Smith, a multiple Irish Elite champion, and current Irish Elite champion Christina Desmond line out at fly and middle at Chiang Mai University.

Big Kenneth Okungbowa, a two-time Irish Elite finalist, competes at heavyweight,and Conor Wallace,also an Irish Elite finalist, and Irish U/23 champion Gary McKenna wear the middleweight and lightweight vests.

Eamonn O’Kane and Cathal McMonagle competed in the inaugural World University Championships in 2004 in Turkey. McMonagle reached the last-eight, the nearest an IATBA athlete has got to a medal at this level.

However, that’s a statistic the Irish panel will be looking to change at the 7th edition of the tournament, according to Irish Youth Olympian Desmond.

“It’s an experienced squad and I would be quietly confident that we can do well, said the ex AIBA World Youth silver medallist.

“It will be a quality tournament as some of the top boxing nations will be there and we’ll all have to perform, but there’s plenty of experience in the squad and hopefully we can do well. I definitely think this team can win some medals,” added the Cork southpaw.

Twenty four nations represented by approximately 300 athletes are slated to compete in south east Asia.

Boxing begins next Monday.

Men’s weights  – 46kg – 49kg, 52kg, 56kg, 60kg, 64kg, 69kg, 75kg,81kg, 91kg, +91kg

Women’s weights: 48kg to 51kg, 57kg to 60kg, 69kg to 75kg

IATBA Squad 7th World University Championships Thailand, October 3/8

51kg Ceire Smith – Cavan BC & DCU
60kg Gary McKenna – Old School BC Monaghan & University of Ulster
75kg Christina Desmond – Fr Horgans BC & LIT
75kg Conor Wallace – St Monica’s Newry & Southern Regional College, Newry
91kg Kenneth Okungbowa – Athlone BC & AIT

Team manager: Paul Geoghegan

Coach: Paddy Gallagher

Boxing Queensland team in Dungarvan.

The Celtic Box Cup Best Team Trophy was heading Down Under yesterday after Boxing Queensland of Australia claimed the 1st prize after securing an impressive haul of five gold and three silver in Dungarvan, Waterford.

Talented Queensland Boxing prospect Hone Huni also scooped the Best Male Boxer Award at the 2016 edition of the international tournament.

The Best Female Boxer Award went to Ireland’s ex European Youth champion Amy Broadhurst who decisioned Joanne Lambe in the lightweight final.

Sunday’s deciders featured Kellie Harrington, the current World Elite silver medallist, versus Skye Nicolson, the current World Elite bronze medalist.

Harrington of the Glasnevin BC in Dublin edged the Boxing Queensland southpaw on a split decision in the light-welter final in a bout the Dubliner compared to a game of chess.

Nicolson said: “Great respect to my all class opponent Kelly Harrington. Awesome opportunity to have the current silver medallist and bronze medallist from the world championships getting to fight it out a couple of months after sharing the podium together.

“I didn’t get the decision but another great learning curve towards where I’m heading! Thanks everyone for the messages and support”.

Boxing Queensland – the club trained in Dungarvan for over a week before the 2016 Celtic Box Cup – coach Shara Romer hailed the hospitality of the Dungarvan BC.

He said: “Massive thank you to Killian Walsh and Gerry O’Mahony for making us so welcomed into their gym along with their awesome van and countless meals! Very much appreciated“!!

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****ENTRIES CLOSED FOR THIS YEAR’S ESKER ALL FEMALE BOXCUP 2016****

With nearly 320 registered female boxers competing, this year’s Esker All Female BoxCup is now completely full up and closed to further entries.

Now in it’s fourth year, the tournament has grown to be the biggest event of it’s kind in Europe and further afield. With categories ranging all the way from Juvenile to Elite it encompasses all standards of female boxing in Ireland. Irish, European, World medallists are all registered as well as girls starting out on their boxing careers.

With the support of South Dublin County Council, Dublin City Sport and Wellbeing Partnership amongst others, it promises to be the most successful edition of the Esker All Female BoxCup yet. 70 clubs from Ireland are registered as well as teams/clubs from Canada, Netherlands, Poland, Scotland, England and Sweden with all the action taking place on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th October 2016.

Boxing starts at 11.30 am on Saturday and 11am on Sunday. The only weigh-in takes place from 5-9pm on Friday 7th October at The Christian Brothers CBS Sports Hall, Roselawn, Lucan, Co. Dublin. The club would love to see a big support there for this uniquely Irish event.

Male Elite – 60kg
Pat Mongan (Olympic Boxing Club) W/O

Male Elite – 64kg
Andrew Hunt (Boxing Queensland) beat Martin McDonagh (Rumbles Boxing Academy) 2-1

Male Elite – 69kg
Michael Bustard (Monkstown Antrim) beat Zohaib Hanif (Pleck Boxing Club) 3-0

Male Elite – 75kg
Honi Huni (Boxing Queensland) beat Bruno Pereira (Clube Águias de Camarate) 3-0

Male Elite – 81kg
Tony Browne (St Michaels BC Dublin) beat Jack Bowen (Boxing Queensland) 3-0

Male Elite – 91kg
Kenny Okungbowa (Athlone Boxing Club) beat Brock Shelley (Boxing Queensland) 3-0

Female Elite – 51kg
Kristina O’Hara (St John Bosco ABC) beat Donna Barr (Twin Towns BC) 3-0

Female Elite – 54kg
Taylah Robertson (Boxing Queensland) beat Elaine Harrison (Ardnaree Boxing Club) 3-0

Female Elite – 57kg
Eftychia Kathopouli (Glenrothes Boxing Club) beat Anelle Massey (Rumbles Boxing Academy) 3-0

Female Elite – 60kg
Amy Broadhurst (Islington Boxing Club) beat Joanne Lambe (Carrickmacross BC) 3-0

Female Elite – 64kg
Kellie Harrington (Glasnevin) beat Skye Nicolson (Boxing Queensland) 2-1

Female Elite – 69kg
Hannah Shield (North Shields) beat Lisa Browne (Eagle Boxing Club) 3-0

Senior A – 56kg
Masoud Abdolkarini (Birmingham City ABC) beat Dayle Nolan (Sacre Coeur) TKO2

Senior A – 60kg
Frankie Cleary (Olympic Boxing Club) beat Rui Barros (SC de Portugal) KO1

Senior A – 64kg
José Semedo (SC de Portugal) beat Thomas Myers (Sligo City Boxing Club) 2-1

Senior A – 69kg
Mark McCole (Dungloe Boxing Club) beat Jake Demmery (Downend Police ABC) 3-0

Senior A – 75kg – Group A
Thomas O’Toole (Celtic Eagles) beat Shane Egan (Defence Forces) 2-1

Senior A – 75kg – Group B
Darragh Power (Dungarvan BC) beat George Harvey (Rumbles Boxing Academy) 3-0

Senior A – 81kg
Paul Kelly (Twin Towns BC) beat James Daly (St Annes Westport) 2-1

Senior A – 91kg
Cormac Long (Rathkeale BC) beat Patrick Joseph Ward (Leo’s Boxing Club) 3-0

Senior A – 91+kg
Steve Heywood (McGarrys Gym) beat Paul O’Rourke (Borough BC) 3-0

Female A – 54kg
Shakira Coonghe (Douglas) beat Mandy Loughlin (Glasnevin) 3-0

Female A – 60kg
Kellie McLoughlin (Drimnagh) beat Nicole Moorehouse (Clonard BC) 3-0

Senior B – 56kg
Tommy Casey (St Francis BC) beat David Reid (Elgin BC) 3-0

Senior B – 60kg
Stewart Crawford (Monkstown Antrim) beat Louis Theedom (Essex University) 3-0

Senior B – 64kg
Stephen McAfee (Monkstown BC) beat Jack Higgins (Ballynacargy Boxing Club) 3-0

Senior B – 69kg – Group A
Paddy McGee (Carrickmore ABC) beat Foad Baghban (Dunboyne BC) 3-0

Senior B – 69kg – Group B
Daryl Clarke (Monkstown Antrim) beat Dylan Phipps (Glasnevin) 3-0

Senior B – 75kg – Group A
Niall Scully (Dunboyne BC) beat Martin O’Donnell (Neilstown Boxing Club) 3-0

Senior B – 75kg – Group B
Kelyn Cassidy (Saviours Crystal) beat Aaron Sheils (Dungarvan BC) 3-0

Senior B – 81kg
Pearse McDonnell (Defence Forces) beat Joe Hirst (Celtic Eagles) 3-0

Senior B – 91kg
Phillip Hickey (Paulstown BC) beat Jake Kelly (Togher BC) 3-0

Senior B – 91+kg
Vytautus Jakonis (St Michaels New Ross) beat Mak Macintosh (Cheltenham KO BA) 3-0

Female B – 48kg
Carol Coughlan (Monkstown BC) beat Emma McCulloch (Glenrothes Boxing Club) 2-1

Female B – 51kg
Nicole Goldsmith-Ryan (O’Dells CP ABC) beat Louise Welsh (Holy Trinity Belfast) 2-1

Female B – 57kg
Marta Fragoso (João Faleiro Boxing Club) beat Amanda Coughlan (Paulstown BC) 2-1

Female B – 64kg
Denise Moran (St Michaels New Ross) beat Siobhan O’Leary (Corpus Christi) 3-0

Female B – 69kg
Kerry Davis (Cheltenham KO BA) beat Nadia Chodukiewicz (Glasnevin) 3-0

Female B – 75kg
Shauna Kearney (Whitechurch BC) W/O

Female B – 81kg
Ciara Mulcahy (Dungarvan BC) W/O

Male Youth A – 49kg
Jordan Leahy (Urlingford BC) W/O

Male Youth A – 52kg
Davin Duggan (Dungarvan BC) beat Mark Corcoran (Corinthians BC) 3-0

Male Youth A – 56kg
Shane Flavin (Paulstown BC) beat Jack Kelly (Cherry Orchard) 3-0

Male Youth A – 60kg
Matthew McCole (Dungloe Boxing Club) beat Patryk Adamus (Drimnagh) 3-0

Male Youth A – 64kg
Conor Ivors (Thurles BC) beat Eric Nash (Ardnaree Boxing Club) 3-0

Male Youth A – 69kg
Jordan Myers (Sligo City Boxing Club) beat Jordan Meredith (Glasnevin) 3-0

Male Youth A – 75kg
Jason Clancy (Ballinacarrow BC) W/O

Female Youth A – 48kg
Megan Flynn (Cherry Orchard) beat Chloe O’Keeffe (Kanturk Boxing Club) 3-0

Female Youth A – 51kg
Kelsey Leonard (Curragh ABC) beat Shauna Blaney (Navan BC) 2-1

Female Youth A – 57kg
Labhaoise Clarke (Carndonagh) W/O

Female Youth A – 64k
Kendall Byrnes (Boxing Queensland) beat Katelynn Phelan (St Brigids BC) 2-1

Male Youth B – 56kg
Odhrán Mac Ruairí (Dungloe Boxing Club) W/O

Male Youth B – 60kg
Kieran Boylan (Saviours Crystal) beat Ian Kelleher (Togher BC) 3-0

Male Youth B – 64kg
Daryl Dunne (Downend Police ABC) beat Gavin Bradshaw (Drimnagh) 3-0

Male Youth B – 69kg
Cianan Folan (Small Heath BC) beat Darren Clarke (Neilstown Boxing Club) TKOI2

Male Youth B – 75kg
Reece Donovan (Togher BC) beat Reese Kelly (Wicklow) 3-0

Male Youth B – 91kg
Paul Mc Cullagh (St John Bosco ABC) beat Sam Nolan (Luton Shamrock BC) 3-0

Female Youth B – 57kg
Chloe Gaynor (Rumbles Boxing Academy) beat Michelle McMeel (Clonmel BC) 2-1

Female Youth B – 64kg
Kayleigh Woods (St Brigids BC) beat Nicole Flourentzou (Downend Police ABC) 3-0