Team Ireland will return from the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool with three medals, following today’s thrilling quarter finals.
Double Olympian and four-time continental champion, Aoife O’Rourke is assured of at least a bronze. She was the 4-1 winner over fellow Olympian Sunniva Hofsted in her quarter finals. Judges scored the bout: 30: 27; 30: 27; 30: 27; 27:30; 30:27 Aoife will take on China’s Chengyu Yang in her semi-final in Saturday’s Afternoon Session. Speaking to World Boxing after her bout, the Castlerea woman said “It’s just about taking it one fight at a time. I am just grateful to have gotten that medal and we’ll push on in the next one and see what we can do.” And, she adds “To be here, to be selected by Ireland, is a great honour. The gameplan was just to keep the pressure and intensity there – and try and be clinical and smart with my punches. You can do the plan all you want on the pads and you feel great, but when you’re trying to implement it in the ring, it’s another story”
Patsy Joyce will also come home with at least a bronze medal. He was the 3-2 victor over Uzbekistan’s Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov in his quarter final. Judges scored the bout 28:29, 29:28, 30:27, 28:29; 27: 30 The Westmeath man, who at 19 is one of the youngest members of the team, will box to change the colour of his medal in Saturday’s Afternoon Session, against Spain’s Rafael Serrano Lozano. Speaking to World Boxing, he says “I was the underdog. I was the underdog yesterday as well – but age is only a number. I came here, 19 years of age, the youngest one on the team, and I’m smashing them up.” And, he says, the cut he sustained in in Last 16 bout against Bulgaria’s Javier Ibanez wasn’t an issue “Not a bother – I got a cut but we have the best doctor in the world, Jim. Shout out to Jim!”
And Offaly’s Grainne Walsh, contesting at 65kg, made it three from three. After a titanic battle, she was the 3-2 victor over Paris Olympics silver medalist China’s Yang Liu. Judges scored the bout 28: 28: 29: 27, 28: 28, 28: 28, 29: 27, reflective of a Round 2 point deduction for Grainne, and a count-back Grainne box her semi-final on Friday, Kazakhstan’s Aida Abikeyeva
540 boxers from 66 federations are contesting these champions, the first in which men and women compete for World gold together. The competition is the biggest ever Olympic-style boxing event held in the UK, and includes 17 medalists from Paris 2024 and more than 30 boxers that competed at the most recent Olympic Games. It features action at 10 weight classes for men and women with 80 medals being handed out, including 20 golds.
Afternoon Session results are here; session results for the Evening Session haven’t yet been published.
Semi-Finals
Thursday is a rest-day at the tournament.
Semi Finals will be boxed throughout Friday, and in Saturday’s Afternoon Session.
Grainne will box in Bout 3 of the Evening Session, and will be in the ring at around 6.30pm – the schedule is available here
The schedule for Saturday, and Aoife and Patsy, hasn’t yet been published.released.
Watch
World Boxing has partnered with Eurovision Sport to broadcast the Championship. Coverage, available HERE. The championship website, where tickets are available for purchase, is HERE
Team Ireland
51kg Daina Moorehouse, of Enniskerry BC, Wicklow. Daina is from Bray, Co. Wicklow.
54kg Jenny Lehane of DCU Boxing Club, Dublin. Jenny is from Ashbourne, Co. Meath
57kg Michaela Walsh of Holy Family Golden Gloves BC Belfast.
60kg Zara Breslin of Tramore BC, Waterford.
65kg Grainne Walsh of St. Mary’s BC, Tallaght, Dublin. Grainne is from Tullamore, Co. Offaly
70kg Lisa O’Rourke of Castlerea BC, Co. Roscommon
75kg Aoife O’Rourke of Castlerea BC, Co. Roscommon. Team Co-Captain
50kg Louis Rooney of Star BC, Belfast
55kg Patsy Joyce of Olympic BC, Mullingar Co. Westmeath
60kg Adam Hession of Monivea BC, Co. Galway. Team Co-Captain
65kg Dean Clancy of Sean McDermott BC, Co. Leitrim. Dean is from Co. Sligo
70kg Matthew McCole of Illies Golden Glove BC Co. Donegal
75kg Gavin Rafferty of Dublin Docklands Boxing Club
80kg Kelyn Cassidy of Saviours Crystal BC, Co. Waterford
85kg Brian Kennedy of St. Brigid’s BC Edenderry Co. Offaly
90kg Jack Marley of Monkstown BC, Dublin
90+kg Martin McDonagh of Galway BC
Support Staff
- Team Manager: Jon Mackey, National Performance Director
- Head Coach: Zauri Antia
- Coaches: Damain Kennedy, Lynne McEnery, Eoin Pluck, James Doyle and JP Delaney
- Doctor: Jim Clover
- Lead Physio: Rob Tuomey
- Performance Analyst: Alan Swanton
- Logistics Support: Sean Crowley, High Performance Manager