BROADHURST GEARS UP FOR LAST FOUR CLASH

Amy Broadhurst is taking it one contest at a time at the European U/22 Championships and is not looking too far ahead – even if Sunday’s finals in Russia are being held on her birthday.

The St Patrick’s Day born southpaw and World No.8 ranked light-welter meets France’s Fatia Benmessahel tomorrow for a place in the March 17 gold medal match.

England’s Shona Whitwell and Italy’s Rebecca Nicoli clash in the corresponding lightweight semi-final in Vladikavkaz.

Broadhurst has claimed six European medals – European Junior (gold), EU Junior (gold), European Youth (silver), European Youth (gold) and European U/22 (gold) – since 2012 and is a confirmed Continental medal magnet. The Dealgan BC lefty is guaranteed at least bronze in Vladikavkaz.

Friday’s three-rounder with France will see the European U/22 defending champion aiming to reach her sixth successive Continental decider in seven years.

”(It’s) madness to have six European medals now from six European Championships! Big achievement for me. I’m just taking one fight at a time. If I win my semi then hopefully my birthday present will be a gold medal but I’m only half way there,” she said.

Broadhurst, who has moved down a notch from light-welter – the limit she claimed an Irish Elite belt at last month – to light, is not reading too much into the sparring session she had with Benmessahel in Offaly in the past.

“Yeah, we sparred a few years ago but everyone improves. I’m sure she’ll bring in a tough fight,” she added.

Paris-born Benmessahel has shared the ring with some top international athletes.

In 2018, she dropped a  4-1 verdict to Sandra Brugger, who Olympic and current IBF/WBA champion Katie Taylor beat in the amateur ranks, in the Eindhoven Box Cup final and she was also on the wrong end of a  4-1 decision to Allana Nihell-Murphy in the semi-finals of the Haringey International last year.

Taylor and Nihell-Murphy met in the first officially IABA sanctioned women’s bout at the National Stadium in Dublin in 2001.

Benmessahel holds decisions over Ireland’s Shauna O’Callaghan, who lined out for Ireland in Russia this week, Evelyn Igharo and Orla Garvey.

The Parisian claimed 60kg gold at the Monkstown Cup in Dublin in 2016.

Team Ireland finished up a training session this afternoon and Broadhurst will be well prepared, according to Irish coach Dmitry Dimitruk.

Broadhurst and Benmessahel will be in the ring at approximately 1.15pm (Irish time) tomorrow.

Team Ireland are due to arrive home via Dublin Airport at 9.10pm Monday evening via Moscow (Aeroflot).