Kurt Walker
Ireland experienced mixed fortunes at the European Championships in Kharkiv, Ukraine today with Kurt Walker showing his class to advance but Steven Donnelly bowing out.
Walker’s tempo and movement were first class against Georgia’s Severiane Childaze and the Antrim bantam, defending the 56kg title Ireland has held since 2013 courtesy of John Joe Nevin and Michael Conlan, scored a unanimous decision.
The current Irish champion needed attention to a cut near his right eye in the three-rounder. He’s meets Azeri No. 2 seed Tayfur Aliyev in the last 16 with a place at the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany in August/September up for grabs.
The top eight boxers in each weight in Kharkiv qualify for Hamburg.
Rio Olympian Donnelly was beaten in the welter class by Sergei Sobylinski, the Russian southpaw earning a unanimous decision after three close rounds in a top class bout.
Galway lightweight Pat Mongan and Dublin middleweight Emmett Brennan are in action in the 42nd edition of the tournament tomorrow versus Germany’s Artur Bril and Poland’s Bartosz Golebiewski. Both men are making their debut at this level.
Mongan beat Bril on a split decision in a Round Robin at Dublin’s National Stadium in April.
Please see below attachment from Sunday’s program. The Ukraine is two hours ehad of Ireland.
Boxing2017 – EUBC European Confederation Boxing Championships Day3 Schedule
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) v Artur Bril (Germany)
75kg Emmett Brennan (Ireland) v Bartosz Golebiewski (Poland)
June 19th
Last 16
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Bathuhan Citfci (Turkey)
60kg Sean McComb (Ireland) v Vitaly Dunaystev (Russia)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Viktor Vykhryst (Ukraine)
June 20th
Last 16
56kg Kurat Walker (Ireland) v Tayfur Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) v Matus Strnisko (Slovakia) or Bou Diabra (France)
91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) v Ramazazaqn Musilimov (Ukraine) or Pawel Jakubowski (Poland)
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