Aidan Walsh bowed out of the World Elites at the last 32 stages to England’s current European champion Pat McCormack in Ekaterinburg, Russia today.
But the Antrim welter won plenty of plaudits for his skilful and gutsy performance against the No. 2 seed.
Sunderland-born McCormack earned a 3-2 split decision – 29-28,29-28,29-28 for and 30-27,29-28 against – with one judge giving the Irishman all three rounds.
Walsh found the target with plenty of clean shots, particularly in rounds two and three. in a repeat of the 2018 Commonwealth final which McCormack, who worked hard throughout today’s bout, won in Australia.
Walsh, who won on his World debut versus Miroslav Kapuler-Cishchenko of Israel last Friday, sportingly congratulated McCormack after the decision was called.
Big performance from the Monkstown BC man who needed just one more judge to lean toward the red corner to take out one of the favourites in the 69kg class in a fight which could have gone either way.
Michael Nevin is in action at approximately 3.15pm (Irish time) today versus Russia for a place in the quarter-finals.
(Image: Walsh (blue) versus Israel)
2019 World Elite Men’s Championships Ekaterinburg, Russia
September 16
Last 32
69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) lost to Pat McCormack (England) 2-3
Last 16
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) v Gleb Bakshi (Russia)
September 17
57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) v Robin Basran (Canada)
Results
September 16
Last 32
69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) lost to Pat McCormack (England) 2-3
September 15
Last 32
57kg Kurt Walker beat David Avila (Columbia) 4-1
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) lost to Radoslav Panaleev (Bulgaria)1-4
September 14
Last 32
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) beat Vytautas Balsys (Lithuania) 5-0
September 13
Last 64
69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) beat Miroslav Kapuler-Cishchenko (Israel) 4-1
September 12
Last 64
52kg Regan Buckley (Ireland) lost to Aldoms Suquor (Indonesia) 2-3
63kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) lost to Matthew Alexander (Trinidad & Tobago) 2-3
September 10
Last 64
81kg Kane Tucker (Ireland) lost to Erkin Adylbek (Kyrgyzstan) 0-5
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Austin Aokuso (Australia) 5-0
September 9
Last 64
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) beat Andre1 Vreme (Moldova) 5-0
Irish squad
52kg: Regan Buckley (St Teresa’s)
57kg: Kurt Walker (Canal)
63kg: Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise)
69kg: Aidan Walsh (Monkstown)
75kg: Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
81kg: Kane Tucker (Emerald)
91kg: Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield)
High-Performance Director: Bernard Dunne
Head coach: Zaur Antia
Coaches: John Conlan and Eoin Pluck
(B)