Brendan “Wee Rooster” Irvine became a two-time Irish Olympian in London tonight.

But Kurt Walker lost to German feather Hamsat Shadolov with a Tokyo 2020 57kg ticket on the line.

The IOC  Task Force for Boxing announced before this evening’s session that the tournament will be postponed following the completion of tonight’s bouts because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Click here for statement.

Irvine, the Irish captain, was in dominant form against tough Hungarian flyweight Istavan Szaka. Irvine found the target with just about every shot in the book, but Szaka, to his credit, refused to back down and kept coming forward.

The scoreboard, however, told its own tale with Irvine winning by a wide margin on four of the five cards,

Walker and Russia-born Shadolov were involved in a see-saw battle with the German feather taking the first two untidy rounds. Walker won the third but Shadolov had enough in the bank to claim the final Tokyo 2020 place on offer this evening.

16 places at the 32nd Olympiad were won in the flyweight and featherweight classes tonight.

Earlier today, Michael Nevin beat Dutch middleweight Max Van Der Pas in the last bout of the early session.

The Laois fighter countered well in all three rounds to earn a 4-1 split decision.

Van Der Pas picked up a facial cut after an accidental clash of heads in the second, with Nevin finishing out the bout on the front foot en route to a deserved victory.

Aidan Walsh cruised into the last 16 at the expense of Pavel Kamanin in London.

The Antrim welter earned a unanimous decision over the game Estonian who struggled to cut down the space between himself and the Commonwealth finalist in all three rounds.

Walsh caught his opponent with some slick counters throughout, but two big backhands in the second round, the first of which rocked Kamanin, were the pick of his punches.

Carly McNaul bowed out of the 43-nation event this afternoon.

The Belfast flyweight dropped a unanimous decision to Charley Davison of Team GB in the last 16 of the tournament.

McNaul fought bravely throughout but was left with a mountain to climb after losing the first two rounds to the slick English southpaw who forced the Ulster orthodox into two standing counts in the third.

2018 World Elite champion Kellie Harrington, current European champion Aoife O’Rourke, Michaela Walsh and Dean Gardiner did not get to box because the tournament was postponed.

Overall, Ireland won six of nine bouts in London and booked one ticket for Tokyo 2020.

 

 

European Qualifiers for Tokyo 2020

Copperbox Arena London March 13/24

March 16

Last 32

69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) beat Pavel Kamanin (Estonia) 5-0

75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) beat Max Van Der Pas (Netherlands) 4-1

Last 16

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) beat Istavan Szaka (Hungary) 5-0

51kg Carly McNaul (Ireland) lost Charley Davison (Team Great Britain) 0-5

57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) lost to Hamsat Shadolov (Germany) 0-5

 

March 15

Last 32

63kg George Bates (Ireland) beat Leon Dominguez (Spain) RSCI1

81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) beat Radenko Tomic (Bosnia & Herzegovina) RSC2

91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Begadze Nikoloz (Georgia) 4-1

Last

16

69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) lost to Angela Carina (Italy) 0-5

Irish squad

(Olympic qualification standard in brackets)

Male

52kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s, Antrim) Cpt (Top 8)

57kg Kurt Walker (Canal, Antrim) (Top 8)

63kg George Bates (St Mary’s, Dublin) (Top 8)

69kg Aidan Walsh (Monkstown, Antrim) (Top 6)

75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise, Laois) (Top 6)

81kg Emmet Brennan (Dublin Docklands) (Top 6)

91kg Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield, Dublin) (Top 4)

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel, Tipperary) (Top 4)

Female

51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road, Belfast) (Top 6)

57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown, Antrim) (Top 6)

60kg Kellie Harrington (St Mary’s, Dublin) (Top 6)

69kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s, Cork, Garda BC) (Top 5)

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea, Roscommon) (Top 4)

High-Performance Director: Bernard Dunne

Coaches: Zaur Antia, John Conlan, Dmitry Dimitruk

 

 

 

Michael Nevin beat Dutch middleweight Max Van Der Pas at the Euro qualifiers for Tokyo 2020 in the last bout of the early session this afternoon.

The Laois fighter countered well in all three rounds to earn a 4-1 split decision.

Van Der Pas picked up a facial cut after an accidental clash of heads in the second, with Nevin finishing out the bout on the front foot en route to a deserved victory.

He’ll now meet Armenia’s Arman Burchinyan – who took out Italy’s No. 3 seed Salvatore Cavallaro today – for a place in the quarter-finals.

Aidan Walsh cruised into the last 16 at the expense of Pavel Kamanin in London.

The Antrim welter, whose sister,Michaela, boxes in the last 16 tomorrow, earned a unanimous decision over the game Estonian who struggled to cut down the space between himself and the Commonwealth finalist in all three rounds.

Walsh caught his opponent with some slick counters throughout, but two big backhands in the second round, the first of which rocked Kamanin, were the pick of his punches.

Earlier, Carly McNaul bowed out of the 43-nation event.

The Belfast flyweight dropped a unanimous decision to Charley Davison of Team GB in the last 16 of the tournament.

McNaul fought bravely throughout but was left with a mountain to climb after losing the first two rounds to the slick English southpaw who forced the Ulster orthodox into two standing counts in the third.

Irish captain Brendan Irvine and Kurt Walker fight for places at Tokyo 2020 in the evening session which begins at 6pm.

The losing quarter-finalist in the weights that require Top 6 or Top 5 finishes box-off for Olympic places.

Meantime, the IOC announced last night that the tournament is now closed to spectators and will be held behind closed doors because of the coronavirus outbreak.

European Qualifiers for Tokyo 2020

Copperbox Arena London March 13/24

March 16

Last 32

69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) beat Pavel Kamanin (Estonia) 5-0

75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) beat Max Van Der Pas (Netherlands) 4-1

Last 16

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Istavan Szaka (Hungary)

51kg Carly McNaul (Ireland) lost Charley Davison (Team Great Britain) 0-5

57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) v Hamsat Shadolov (Germany)

March 17

Last 16

57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) v Mona Mestian (France)

60kg Kellie Harrington (Ireland) v Aneta Rygielska (Poland)

63kg George Bates (Ireland) v Javid Chalabiyev (Azerbaijan)

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Viktoriya Kebikava (Belarus)

81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) v Uke Smajli (Switzerland)

91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) V Emanual Reyes (Spain)

March 18

Last 16

69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) v Wahid Hambli (France)

75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) v Arman Burchinyan (Armenia)

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Petar Belberov (Bulgaria)

RESULTS

March 15

Last 32

63kg George Bates (Ireland) beat Leon Dominguez (Spain) RSCI1

81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) beat Radenko Tomic (Bosnia & Herzegovina) RSC2

91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Begadze Nikoloz (Georgia) 4-1

Last

16

69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) lost to Angela Carina (Italy) 0-5

Irish squad

(Olympic qualification standard in brackets)

Male

52kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s, Antrim) Cpt (Top 8)

57kg Kurt Walker (Canal, Antrim) (Top 8)

63kg George Bates (St Mary’s, Dublin) (Top 8)

69kg Aidan Walsh (Monkstown, Antrim) (Top 6)

75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise, Laois) (Top 6)

81kg Emmet Brennan (Dublin Docklands) (Top 6)

91kg Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield, Dublin) (Top 4)

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel, Tipperary) (Top 4)

Female

51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road, Belfast) (Top 6)

57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown, Antrim) (Top 6)

60kg Kellie Harrington (St Mary’s, Dublin) (Top 6)

69kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s, Cork, Garda BC) (Top 5)

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea, Roscommon) (Top 4)

High-Performance Director: Bernard Dunne

Coaches: Zaur Antia, John Conlan, Dmitry Dimitruk

Five Irish boxers are in action on Day 3 of the European qualifiers for Tokyo 2020 in London tomorrow.

Belfast quartet Brendan Irvine, Carly McNaul, Kurt Walker and Aidan Walsh and Laois middle Michael Nevin are between the ropes.

Irvine and Walker box for places at the 32nd Olympiad in the evening session which begins at 6pm.

McNaul, Walsh and Nevin take to the ring in the afternoon session which begins at 12 noon.

Ireland experienced mixed fortunes in today’s bouts at the 43-nation tournament.

Dubliners Emmet Brennan, George Bates and Kiril Afanasev advanced but Cork welter Christina Desmond bowed out.

Bernard Dunne, IABA High-Performance Director, hailed today’s performances.

“We got four athletes in and three victories and the other athlete was just beaten, he said.

“I think everybody performed as best they could and that’s all we can ask of them. Today was hectic; tomorrow is a continuation of that.

“We’re very much focussed on getting our tactical plan correct and the guys being able to implement it. If they perform, I have no doubt that they will get what they are looking for.”

Click here for Monday’s card.

European Qualifiers for Tokyo 2020

Copperbox Arena London March 13/24

Last

March 15

Last 32

63kg George Bates (Ireland) beat Leon Dominguez (Spain) RSCI1

81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) beat Radenko Tomic (Bosnia & Herzegovina) RSC2

91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Begadze Nikoloz (Georgia) 4-1

Last

16

69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) lost to Angela Carina (Italy) 0-5

March 16

Last 32

69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) v Pavel Kamanin (Spain)

75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) v Pas der Van (Netherlands)

Last 16

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Istavan Szaka (Hungary)

51kg Carly McNaul (Ireland) v Charley Davison (Team Great Britain)

57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) v Hamsat Shadolov (Germany)

March 17

Last 16

57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) v Mona Mestian (France)

60kg Kellie Harrington (Ireland) v Aneta Rygielska (Poland)

63kg George Bates (Ireland) v Kiril Rusonov (Bulgaria) or Javid Chalabiyev (Azerbaijan)

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Viktoriya Kebikava (Belarus)

81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) v Uke Smajli (Switzerland)

91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) V Emanual Reyes (Spain)

March 18

Last 16

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Petar Belberov (Bulgaria)

Irish squad

(Olympic qualification standard in brackets)

Male

52kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s, Antrim) Cpt (Top 8)

57kg Kurt Walker (Canal, Antrim) (Top 8)

63kg George Bates (St Mary’s, Dublin) (Top 8)

69kg Aidan Walsh (Monkstown, Antrim) (Top 6)

75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise, Laois) (Top 6)

81kg Emmet Brennan (Dublin Docklands) (Top 6)

91kg Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield, Dublin) (Top 4)

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel, Tipperary) (Top 4)

Female

51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road, Belfast) (Top 6)

57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown, Antrim) (Top 6)

60kg Kellie Harrington (St Mary’s, Dublin) (Top 6)

69kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s, Cork, Garda BC) (Top 5)

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea, Roscommon) (Top 4)

High-Performance Director: Bernard Dunne

Coaches: Zaur Antia, John Conlan, Dmitry Dimitruk

 

 

Ireland experienced contrasting fortunes at the European qualifiers for Tokyo 2020 in London.

Dubliners Emmet Brennan, George Bates and Kiril Afanasev advanced, but Cork’s Christina Desmond bowed out at the Copperbox Arena.

Bates had his hand raised in victory after  Spain’s Leon Dominguez picked up a nasty-looking cut near his eye late in the first round.

And Bates, who was boxing well within himself in the opening frame, won on points (10-9) when it went back to the scorecards.

“I’m very satisfied with the performance, it all went well from the start. I’m planning to go all the way,” said the Irish champion after his win.

Rebel County welter Desmond bowed out in the second fight of the evening session.

The Irish Elite champion was beaten on a unanimous decision by Italy’s Angela Carina, the No.3 seed, following a close all southpaw three-rounder.

Desmond slightly staggered her opponent with a sweeping left in the first round, but the Rome native, the 2019 World Elite light-welter finalist, worked hard throughout an open and clean bout.

Earlier today, Brennan got Ireland off to a winning start after stopping Radenko Tomic of Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Brennan took the first round and piled on the pressure in the second with the ref waving it off after Tomic took a count in the 2nd round.

The Dublin Docklands BC man, who needs a top 6 finish to qualify for Tokyo, will be back in action on St Patrick’s Day against Switzerland’s Uke Smajli.

“I stuck to instructions and it just went a little bit better than we thought. The plan is to go all the way, you don’t come here without planning on that,” said the Irish champion.

Afanasev made it three wins out of four for Ireland after a tough battle with Georgia’s Begadze Nikoloz in the second last bout of the day; Afanasev earning a split decision win to set up a busy St Patrick’s Day for Ireland.

 

European Qualifiers for Tokyo 2020

Copperbox Arena London March 13/24

Last

March 15

Last 32

63kg George Bates (Ireland) beat Leon Dominguez (Spain) RSCI1

81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) beat Radenko Tomic (Bosnia & Herzegovina) RSC2

91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Begadze Nikoloz (Georgia) 4-1

Last

16

69kg Christina Desmond (Ireland) lost to Angela Carina (Italy) 0-5

March 16

Last 32

69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) v Pavel Kamanin (Spain)

75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) v Pas der Van (Netherlands)

Last 16

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Istavan Szaka (Hungary)

51kg Carly McNaul (Ireland) v Charley Davison (Team Great Britain)

57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) v Hamsat Shadolov (Germany)

March 17

Last 16

57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) v Mona Mestian (France)

60kg Kellie Harrington (Ireland) v Aneta Rygielska (Poland)

63kg George Bates (Ireland) v Kiril Rusonov (Bulgaria) or Javid Chalabiyev (Azerbaijan)

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Viktoriya Kebikava (Belarus)

81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) v Uke Smajli (Switzerland)

91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) V Emanual Reyes (Spain)

March 18

Last 16

91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Petar Belberov (Bulgaria)

Irish squad

(Olympic qualification standard in brackets)

Male

52kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s, Antrim) Cpt (Top 8)

57kg Kurt Walker (Canal, Antrim) (Top 8)

63kg George Bates (St Mary’s, Dublin) (Top 8)

69kg Aidan Walsh (Monkstown, Antrim) (Top 6)

75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise, Laois) (Top 6)

81kg Emmet Brennan (Dublin Docklands) (Top 6)

91kg Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield, Dublin) (Top 4)

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel, Tipperary) (Top 4)

Female

51kg Carly McNaul (Ormeau Road, Belfast) (Top 6)

57kg Michaela Walsh (Monkstown, Antrim) (Top 6)

60kg Kellie Harrington (St Mary’s, Dublin) (Top 6)

69kg Christina Desmond (Fr Horgan’s, Cork, Garda BC) (Top 5)

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea, Roscommon) (Top 4)

High-Performance Director: Bernard Dunne

Coaches: Zaur Antia, John Conlan, Dmitry Dimitruk