IRVINE AND DONNELLY IN OLYMPIC ACTION TODAY - Irish Athletic Boxing Association

Steven Donnelly.

Antrim pair Brendan Irvine and Steven Donnelly kick off the biggest weekend for Irish boxing since London 2012 in Rio today.

Irvine is first in action at approximately 3:15pm and Donnelly,who fights for at least bronze,is in the ring at approximately 4:15pm (Irish times).

Boxing2016 – Rio2016 Olympic Games Day8 Schedule

Donnelly, who has won two bouts so far at his first Olympiad, meets Morocco’s current AIBA World Elite welterweight champion Mohammed Rabii for a place in the semi-finals and a guaranteed bronze medal.

Rabbi, a Casablanca-born orthodox, enjoyed an excellent 2015, winning a World Elite title in Doha, Qatar, an African Confederation gold medal in his hometown and six World Series of Boxing (WSB) fights on the bounce.

He initially qualified for Rio courtesy of his performances in WSB, and then made the qualification standard again by virtue of winning AIBA World gold in the Persian Gulf.

However,he has not been so prolific in 2016 as he dropped a unanimous decision to Paul Kroll of the USA in the WSB and was beaten in the semi-finals of the Chemistry Cup by Germany’s Araik Marutjan in Germany.

Uzbekistan’s Giyasav Shakhram and Cuba’s Roniel Iglesias meet in the corresponding quarter-final.

Irvine,at 20 the youngest member of the Irish squad,makes his Olympic debut versus Shakhobidin Zoirov in the 52kg class.

The Uzbek flyweight booked a Rio ticket after winning four fights and gold at the Asia and Oceania qualifiers in China earlier this year. A 23-year-old southpaw, he’s won two Asian Confederation silver medals and gold at last year’s Strandja multi-nations.

He finished in 11th spot at the 2015 AIBA World Championships in Doha, Qatar,six places adrift of Irvine who boxes out of the St Paul’s BC.

Zoirov holds one victory over an Irish fighter after narrowly decisioning Evan Metcalfe in the 2010 Agalarov Youth Memorial in Azerbaijan.

Brendan Irvine finds the target versus Cuba in a previous tournament

Julio Neto, who received one of the five host places reserved for Brazilian male boxers for Rio, and Antonio Vargas of the USA go head-to-head in the corresponding bout.

Michael Conlan and Katie Taylor, both No. 1 seeds in their respective weights,are between the ropes on Sunday and Monday in Rio,with Taylor renewing acquaintances with Finland’s Mira Potkonen,who she has beaten five times,in the last-eight with at least a bronze medal up for grabs.

Irvine and Donnelly will be aiming to join the Olympic champion in Monday’s mix from bouts No. 152 and 156 on this afternoon’s card.

A Donnelly victory will improve Irish boxing’s Olympic haul since Paris 1924 to 17 medals.The Ballymena BC man intends to leave absolutely everything in the ring at the 9,000 capacity Pavilion 6 venue.

“He’s world champion for a reason but I just want to give it my all,100%.Then I’ll be happy.I’m full of confidence now,” he said.

Eddie Bolger, who is working Ireland’s corner with head coach Zaur Antia and John Conlan at the 31st Olympiad, believes that no boxer is invincible.

“You always get 100% from Steven. Everybody’s beatable, especially here.”

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) v Shakhobidin Zoirov (Uzbekistan)
Q/Final
69kg Steven Donnelly (Ireland) v Mohammed Rabii (Morocco)

August 14th (last 16)
56kg Michael Conlan (Ireland) v Aram Avagyan (Armenia)

August 15th (Q/Final)
60kg Katie Taylor (Ireland) v Mira Potkonen (Finland)

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

Antrim pair Brendan Irvine and Steven Donnelly kick off the biggest weekend for Irish boxing since London 2012 this afternoon in Rio.

Irvine is first in action at approximately 3:15pm and Donnelly, who fights for at least bronze, is in the ring at approximately 4:15pm (Irish times).

He initially qualified for Rio courtesy of his performances in WSB, and then made the qualification standard again by virtue of winning AIBA World gold in the Persian Gulf.

However, he has not been so prolific in 2016 as he dropped a unanimous decision to Paul Kroll of the USA in the WSB and was beaten in the semi-finals of the Chemistry Cup by Germany’s Araik Marutjan in Germany.

Uzbekistan’s Giyasav Shakhram and Cuba’s Roniel Iglesias meet in the corresponding quarter-final.

Irvine, at 20 the youngest member of the Irish squad, makes his Olympic debut versus Uzbekistan’s Shakhobidin Zoirov in the flyweight class.

The Uzbek southpaw booked a Rio ticket after winning four fights and gold at the Asia and Oceania qualifiers in China earlier this year. A 23-year-old leftie, he’s won two Asian Confederation silver medals and gold at last year’s Strandja multi-nations.

He finished in 11th spot at the 2015 AIBA World Championships in Doha, Qatar, six places adrift of Irvine who boxes out of the St Paul’s BC.

Zoirov holds one victory over an Irish fighter after narrowly decisioning Evan Metcalfe in the 2010 Agalarov Youth Memorial in Azerbaijan.

Julio Neto, who received one of the five host places reserved for Brazilian male boxers for Rio, and Antonio Vargas of the USA go head-to-head in the corresponding bout.

Michael Conlan and Katie Taylor, both No. 1 seeds in their respective weights, are are between the ropes on Sunday and Monday in Rio, with Taylor renewing acquaintances with Finland’s Mira Potkonen, who she has beaten five times, in the last-eight with at least a bronze medal up for grabs.

Irvine and Donnelly will be aiming to join the Olympic champion in Monday’s mix from bouts No. 152 and 156 on this afternoon’s card.

A Donnelly win will improve Irish boxing’s haul since Paris 1924 to 17 medals. The Ballymena BC man intends to leave everything in the ring.

“He’s world champion for a reason but I just want to give it my all, 100%. Then I’ll be happy. I’m full of confidence now,” he said.

Eddie Bolger, who is working Ireland’s corner with head coach Zaur Antia and John Conlan in Rio, believes that no boxer is invincible.

“You always get 100% from Steven. Everybody’s beatable, especially here.”

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