Sean McComb has his hand raised in victory today
Ireland will have at least two boxers at the 2017 World Elite Championships in Germany after Antrim pair Sean McComb and Brendan Irvine claimed last 16 wins at the European Championships in Kharkiv, Ukraine today.
McComb sensationally beat Russia’s current World Elite champion Vitaly Dunaystev in the light-welter class in a repeat of April’s clash at Dublin’s National Stadium which McComb also won on a split.
Rio Olympian Brendan Irvine followed that up with a unanimous decision over Turkey’s Bathuhan Citfci in the flyweight class, the European Games silver medallist finding the target with some excellent shots in the second and third rounds of a tight contest.
Tipperary super-heavy Dean Gardiner bowed out at the last 16 stage on a second round TKO to Viktor Vykhryst of the Ukraine.
The top eight boxers in each weight in Kharkiv qualify for the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany in August/September.
Current European light-heavy champion Joe Ward, the No. 1 seed in Kharkiv, Irish captain Darren O’Neill, Kurt Walker and Emmet Brennan will be aiming to secure World Championships places and join Irvine and McComb the quarter-finals in the Ukraine tomorrow.
European Elite Men’s Championships Kharkiv, Ukraine June 14th/25th
June 16th
(Last 32)
64kg Sean McComb (Ireland) beat Erik Agateljan (Czech Republic) 5-0
June 17th:
Last 32
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Severiane Childaze (Georgia) 5-0
69kg Steven Donnelly (Ireland) lost to Sergei Sobylinski (Russia) 0-5
June 18th
Last 32
60kg Pat Mongan (Ireland) lost to Artur Bril (Germany) 0-5
75kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) beat Bartosz Golebiewski (Poland) 3-2
June 19th
Last 16
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) beat Bathuhan Citfci (Turkey) 5-0
60kg Sean McComb (Ireland) beat Vitaly Dunaystev (Russia) 3-2
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) lost to Viktor Vykhryst (Ukraine) TKO2
June 20th
Last 16
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) v Tayfur Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
75kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) v Kamran Shakhsuvarly (Azerbaijan)
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) v Matus Strnisko (Slovakia)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) v Ramazazaqn Musilimov (Ukraine)
June 21st
Q/Finals
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Gabriel Escobar (Spain)
64kg Sean McComb (Ireland) v Luke McCormack (England)
Irish squad
52kg – Flyweight – Brendan Irvine (St Pauls)
56kg – Bantamweight – Kurt Walker (Canal)
60kg – Lightweight – Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg – Light-welter – Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
69kg – Welterweight – Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
75kg – Middleweight – Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin)
81kg – Light-heavy – Joe Ward (Moate)
91kg – Heavyweight – Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91+kg – Super-heavy – Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
High-Performance Director/Head of Delegation: Bernard Dunne
Head Coach: Zaur Antia
Coaches: Dmitry Dimitruc, Jimmy Payne, Eoin Pluck
Physio: Seamus Caffrey
Doctor: Jim Clover
Strength & Conditioning: John Cleary
Performance Analysis: Alan Swanton