Michael O’Reilly and Dean Gardiner are in action at the World Olympic qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan today.

The Laois and Tipperary pair are between the ropes in the evening session which begins at 4pm (Irish time). Click here for today’s schedule.

O’Reilly meet Mongolian middleweight Shinebayor Narmandakh in the last 16 of the tournament in the 7th fight on the program and Gardiner faces Ukranianian super-heavy Viktor Vychryst in the quarter-finals in the 13th bout on the roster.

The top five middleweights in Baku qualify for Rio. Super-heavyweights must win gold as there is just one Olympic place available in the 91kg+ weight.

 

Irish Draw Baku Olympic qualifiers

June 18th

(Last 32)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) beat Mustafa El Molla (Sweden) 3-0

June 19th

(Last 32)

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) lost to Smetov Ismetov (Bulgaria) 0-3

(Last 16)

91kg+ Dean Gardiner beat Satish Kumar (India) 2-1

June 20th

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Vitalia Bandarenka (Belarus) 3-0 (last 32)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) lost to Wesley Apochi (Nigeria) 0-3 (last 16)

June 21st

Last 16

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Shinebayor Narmandakh (Mongolia)

Q/Finals

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Viktor Vychryst (Ukraine)

 

Irish Squad

64kg (Light-welter) Dean Walsh (St Josephs/St Ibars)

75kg (Middleweight) Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg (Heavyweight) Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

91kg + (Super-heavy) Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team manager Joe Hennigan

Coaches: Zaur Antia and Eddie Bolger

Performance Analyst Alan Swanton

Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey

 

Darren O’Neill lost out in his bid to reach successive Olympiads at the penultimate Olympic qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan today.

The Kilkenny heavyweight was beaten on a unanimous decision in the last 16 of the tournament by Nigeria’s Wesley Apochi after three tight rounds.

O’Neill, who won yesterday, had to claim the gold medal in the Azeri capital to qualify for the 31st Olympiad as there is only one place available in the 91kg class.

 

Earlier today, Michael O’Reilly advanced to the last 16

The European Games middleweight champion beat Vitalia Bandarenka of Belarus on a unanimous decision to move to within two wins of qualifying for Rio.

The top five middleweights in Baku qualify for Rio.

O’Reilly and Dean Gardiner will be in action tomorrow in Baku.Gardiner must win gold as there is just one Olympic place available in the super-heavy class.

The final Olympic qualifier will be held in Vargas, Venezuela next month. Ostensibly a World Series of Boxing (WSB) versus AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) clash, the Latin American qualifiers are also open to professional boxers.

Mayo light-welter Ray Moylette, who qualified for Venezuela through APB, is the only Irish boxer eligible for Vargas.

 

 

Irish Draw Baku Olympic qualifiers

June 18th

(Last 32)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) beat Mustafa El Molla (Sweden) 3-0

June 19th

(Last 32)

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) lost to Smetov Ismetov (Bulgaria) 0-3

(Last 16)

91kg+ Dean Gardiner beat Satish Kumar (India) 2-1

June 20th

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) beat Vitalia Bandarenka (Belarus) 3-0 (last 32)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) lost to Wesley Apochi (Nigeria) 0-3 (last 16)

June 21st

Last 16

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Shinebayor Narmandakh (Mongolia)

Q/Finals

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Viktor Vychryst (Ukraine)

 

Irish Squad

64kg (Light-welter) Dean Walsh (St Josephs/St Ibars)

75kg (Middleweight) Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg (Heavyweight) Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

91kg + (Super-heavy) Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team manager Joe Hennigan

Coaches: Zaur Antia and Eddie Bolger

Performance Analyst Alan Swanton

Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey

 

Six Irish boxers – pictured above in Hungary –  are in action at the European Junior Championships in Kaposvar, Hungary today.

Terry Donoghue, Brandon McCarthy, Barry McReynolds, Michael Delaney, Pierce O’Leary and Edward Donovan are between the ropes.

Donoghue, McCarthy, Delaney and O’Leary are in action in the early session which begins at 12pm (Irish time). McReynolds and Donovan are between the ropes in the evening session which begins at 5pm (Irish time).

 

 

European Junior Championships Kaposvar, Hungary

June 19th

Prelims

57kg Edward Donovan (Ireland) beat Deievdas Bogbanovicus (Lithuania) 3-0

63kg Pierce O’Leary (Ireland) beat Genuri Jgerenai (Georgia) TKO1

75kg Adam Dempsey (Ireland) beat Fillip Knor (Czech Republic) 2-1

June 20th

Last 16

46kg Terry Donoghue (Ireland) v  Aleks Karamani (Serbia)

48kg Brandon McCarthy (Ireland) v Jean Christi (Romania)

54Kg Barry McReynolds (Ireland) v Anzor Gapuev (Russia)

57kg Edward Donovan (Ireland) v  Terteryan Semastian (Denmark)

60kg Michael Delaney (Ireland) v Pavel Chazov (Russia)

63kg Pierce O’Leary (Ireland) v  Oleg Zharkov (Russia)

June 21st

(Last 16)

50kg Callum Walsh (Ireland) v Tegor Ade (Ukraine)

52kg Martin McDonagh (Ireland) v Christ Esabe (France)

66kg Jack Conroy (Ireland) v Aliaksandr Filipovich (Belarus)

70kg Kane Tucker (Ireland) v Dmitris Christos (Cyprus)

75kg Adam Dempsey (Ireland) v Edmunds Lindermanis (Latvia)

80kg Michael Walsh (Ireland) v Lewis Johnston (Scotland)

80kg+ Zenja Jelisejenkovs (Ireland) v Pavlo Mykolaichuk (Ukraine)

 

Irish squad

46kg Terry Donoghue (St Michaels Athy)
48kg Brandon McCarthy (St Michaels Athy)
50kg Callum Walsh (Riverstown)
52kg Martin McDonagh (Glen)
54kg Barry McReynolds (Holy Trinity)
57kg Edward Donovan (OLOL)
60kg Michael Delaney (Olympic)
63kg Pierce O’Leary (Dublin Docklands)
66kg Jack Conroy (Mullingar Elite)
70kg Kane Tuker (Holy Trinity)
75kg Adam Dempsey (Achill)
80kg Michael Walsh (Holy Family D)
80+kg Zenja Jelisejenkovs (Castlebar)

Team manager: Ferdie Whelan

Coaches: Billy McClean, Philip Keogh, Tony Davis

R&J: Paul McMahon

 

 

Please click here for today’s draw at the World Olympic qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Michael O’Reilly and Darren O’Neill are between the ropes in the early session which begins at 10am (Irish time).

O’Reilly, who received a bye, is in last 32 action and O’Neill fights for a place in the quarter-finals.

 

Irish Draw Baku Olympic qualifiers

June 18th

(Last 32)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) beat Mustafa El Molla (Sweden) 3-0

 

June 19th

(Last 32)

64kg Dean Walsh (Ireland) lost to Smetov Ismetov (Bulgaria) 0-3

 

(Last 16)

91kg+ Dean Gardiner beat Satish Kumar (India) 2-1

 

June 20th

75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Vitalia Dandarenka (Belarus) (last 32)

91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) v Wesley Apochi (Nigeria) (last 16)

 

June 21st

Q/Finals

91+kg Dean Gardiner (Ireland) v Viktor Vychryst (Ukraine)

 

 

 

Irish Squad

64kg (Light-welter) Dean Walsh (St Josephs/St Ibars)

75kg (Middleweight) Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)

91kg (Heavyweight) Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)

91kg + (Super-heavy) Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

Team manager Joe Hennigan

Coaches: Zaur Antia and Eddie Bolger

Performance Analyst Alan Swanton

Sports Psychologist: Gerry Hussey