Michael Conlan,pictured,will be aiming for a second successive Olympic bronze medal – at least – at the Rio Olympics today.
The Belfast bantamweight, a bronze medallist at London 2012, meets Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin in the quarter-finals at approximately 3.30pm this afternoon for a guaranteed podium finish.
Nikitin beat Conlan in the last-eight of the 2013 AIBA World Elite Championships in Kazakhstan,although Conlan had just moved up to bantam from fly for Central Asia after London 2012 silver medallist John Joe Nevin, who beat Nikitin en route to gold at the European Elites in Belarus earlier the same year, turned pro.
Conlan,the current World and European champion,is the No. 1 seed in the 56kg class in Rio.Nikitin settled for silver at the 2013 World Elites after dropping a unanimous decision to Azeri Javid Chelebiyev in the final in Almaty.
The 26-year-old Belgorod orthodox has an impressive World Series of Boxing record,having won 14 of his 15 fights.But WSB bouts are over five rounds;Olympic bouts are over three.
Tsendbaater Erdenebat of Mongolia and New Jersey-native Shakur Stevenson meet in the corresponding quarter-final this afternoon.
Please see below attachments for Monday’s results and today’s schedule.Click here for 56kg draw sheet.
Irish Draw Rio Olympics
August 7th (last 32)
60kg David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) beat Andrique Allisop (Seychelles) 3-0
69kg Steven Donnelly (Ireland) beat Zahir Kedache (Algeria) 3-0
August 8th (last 16)
49kg Paddy Barnes (Ireland) lost to Samuel Carmona (Spain) 1-2
August 9th (last 16)
60kg David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) lost to Albert Selimov (Azerbaijan) 0-3
August 10th (last 16)
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) lost to Carlos Andreas Mina (Ecuador) 1-2
August 11th (last 16)
69kg Steven Donnelly (Ireland) beat Tuvshinbat Byamba (Mongolia) 2-1
August 12th (last 16)
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) lost to Uziel Rodriquez (Mexico) W/O
August 13th (last 32)
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) lost to Shakhobidin Zoirov (Uzbekistan) 0-3
Q/Final
69kg Steven Donnelly (Ireland) lost to Mohammed Rabii (Morocco) 1-2
August 14th (last 16)
56kg Michael Conlan (Ireland) beat Aram Avagyan (Armenia) 3-0
August 15th (Q/Final)
60kg Katie Taylor (Ireland) lost to Mira Potkonen (Finland) 1-2
August 16th (Q/Final)
56kg Michael Conlan (Ireland) v Vladimir Nikitin (Russia)
Irish squad
Women
60kg (Lightweight) – Katie Taylor (Bray)
Men
49kg (Light-flyweight) – Paddy Barnes (Holy Family)
52kg (Flyweight) – Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s)
56kg (Bantamweight) – Michael Conlan (Clonard)
60kg (Lightweight) – David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy & AIBA Pro Boxing)
69kg (Welterweight) – Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
75kg (Middleweight) – Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
81kg (Light-heavyweight) – Joe Ward (Moate & AIBA Pro Boxing)
Team Manager: Joe Hennigan
Coaches: Zaur Antia, Eddie Bolger, John Conlan
Physio: Julianne Ryan
Sport Psychologist:Gerry Hussey
Doctor: Jim Clover