Kurt Walker sensationally beat Uzbekistan’s Mirazizbek Mitzakhalilov on a 4-1 split decision to move into the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games in Tokyo this morning.

Mitzakhalilov, the No. 1 seed and the favourite for gold, simply had no answer to Walker’s speed, head movement and precision in a top class 57kg contest.

The Lisburn man started fast and maintained the pace throughout, catching the world champion with combinations to the head and body to take the first round 4-1.

Mitzakhalilov had a better second round, particularly in the middle part of the stanza, but Walker finished strong to take three of the judges with him.

The Canal BC stand out, the current European champion, upped the pace again in the third frame and repeatedly tagged the Uzbek with head shots en route to a thrilling win.

Walker, who picked up a cut over his right eye in his previous win, picked up another cut near his left eye against Mitzakhalilov.

The Irish champion, who dismissed the cuts as “scratches”, will fight for at least bronze on Sunday versus Duke Ragan of the USA.

“We knew we had to win the first round, the first two, actually, the coaches gave me the best tactics and I’m just so delighted, Walker told RTE Sport.

“Be fast, hit first and get out last were those tactics. Hit him more times than he hit me.”

“My confidence was through the roof, there are always doubts in your head before the fight, but the team believed in me. I believed it too and it has happened.

“I knew I was smarter than him and that’s enough to win me a fight in most cases. I knew he was going to come on strong but he was very predictable and I was able to read him to my benefit.”

Tokyo Olympics

July 24th

Last 32
57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Jose Quiles (Spain) 5-0

July 25th

Last 32
81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) lost to Dilshod Ruzmetov (Uzbekistan) 0-5

July 26th
Last 32

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) lost to Carlo Paalam (Philippines) 1-4

Last 16
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) lost to Irma Testa (Italy) 0-5

July 27th
Last 16

69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) beat Albert Menque (Cameroon) 5-0

July 28th

Last 16

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Qian Li (China)
57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Mirazizbek Mitzakhalilov (Uzbekistan) 4-1

July 30th
Last 16

60hk Kellie Harrington (Ireland) v Rebecca Nicoli (Italy) or Esmerelda Falcon (Mexico)

Quarter-final
69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) v Mervin Clair (Mauritius) or Hussein Eashash (Jordan)

August 1

Quarter-final

57kg Kurt Walker v Duke Ragan (USA)

Aidan Walsh is into the last eight of the Olympic Games after posting an impressive win in Tokyo this morning.

The Belfast welter beat Albert Menque of Cameroon to book his place in the quarter-finals.

Menque received two public warnings in the second and third rounds of this encounter.

Walsh, showcasing good head and evasive movements and finding the target with some solid combinations, took the first round 4-1.

The Belfast fighter also looked composed in the second which he won across the board.

The third round was all about staying out of trouble, and Walsh, who had his sister Michaela cheering him on from ringside, did just that to progress to within one win of at least bronze.

“The coaches will have a plan, so I’ll just listen to them and go out and do it all again,” said Walsh after his win.

Tokyo Olympics

July 24th

Last 32
57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Jose Quiles (Spain) 5-0

July 25th

Last 32
81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) lost to Dilshod Ruzmetov (Uzbekistan) 0-5

July 26th
Last 32

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) lost to Carlo Paalam (Philippines) 1-4

Last 16
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) lost to Irma Testa (Italy) 0-5

July 27th
Last 16

69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) beat Albert Menque (Cameroon) 5-0

July 28th

Last 16

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Li Qian (China)
57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) v Mirazizbek Mitzakhalilov (Uzbekistan)

July 30th
Last 16

60hk Kellie Harrington (Ireland) v Rebecca Nicoli (Italy) or Esmerelda Falcon (Mexico)

Quarter-final
69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) v Mervin Clair (Mauritius) or Hussein Eashash (Jordan)

There was double dissapointment for Ireland at the Olympics this morning.

Irvine lost 4-1 to Carlo Paalam of the Philippines.

And Irma Testa of Italy beat Michaela Walsh.

Paalam seemed to catch Irvine by surprise by his sheer aggression in the first round and repeatedly caught the Belfast flyweight with combinations to take the round on all five cards.

Irvine had a better second round but Paalam was still finding the target with head shots, Irvine replying with some well timed shots of his own.

The third round followed a similar pattern and it was Paalam that got the nod over the Irish captain on four of the cards.

Irvine told RTE:

“This stuff happens every day. The better man won on the day. I did think it was a close fight and I probably could have got it myself but that’s just the way it goes.

“It’s been a roller-coaster getting here but I’m proud to have left everything in the ring and give it my all.”

Meanwhile,Walsh lost to Testa on a unanimous decision in the featherweight class..

Walsh held a 3-2 lead after the first round but Testa, who beat Walsh in the European qualifiers in Paris last month, bounced back to take the lead going into the third round.

Walsh needed to win the final round to stay in the Olympics and the Belfast fighter did find the target with some excellent punches but Testa got the decision.

Walsh told RTÉ Sport: “I felt I was well up in the first round and she came back in the second so it was level going into the last round. I felt it was a great fight but it was her day today.

“She made a big push in the last round, I wish her the best going forward. I hope she goes all the way.”

Tokyo Olympics

July 24th

Last 32
57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Jose Quiles (Spain) 5-0

July 25th

Last 32
81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) lost to Dilshod Ruzmetov (Uzbekistan) 0-5

July 26th
Last 32

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) lost to Carlo Paalam (Philippines) 1-4

Last 16
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) lost to Irma Testa (Italy) 0-5

July 27th
Last 16

69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) v Albert Menque (Cameroon) or Thabiso Dlanini (Swz)

July 28th

Last 16

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Li Qian (China)
57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) v Mirazizbek Mitzakhalilov (Uzbekistan)

July 30th
Last 16

60hk Kellie Harrington (Ireland) v Rebecca Nicoli (Italy) or Esmerelda Falcon (Mexico)

Emmet Brennan bowed out of the Olympics despite a big showing against Dilshod Ruzmetov in Tokyo this afternoon.

The Uzbek earned a unanimous decision after three rounds.

Brennan took the fight to the World silver medallist at every opportunity and landed some eye catahcing shots particularly in rounds two and three.

Ruzmetov was finding the target mostly with counters.

Brennan connected with a big right in the second and a sweeping left in the third.

Brennan said: “I knew it was going to be a tough task but I did think I was going to win, He was very sharp, very good counter. He spoiled a but bit he did what he had to do to win the fight.”

Tokyo Olympics

July 24th

Last 32
57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Jose Quiles (Spain) 5-0

July 25th

Last 32
81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) lost to Dilshod Ruzmetov (Uzbekistan) 0-5

July 26th
Last 32

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Carlo Paalm (Philippines)

Last 16
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) v Irma Testa (Italy) or Lludmila Voronstova (ROC)

July 27th
Last 16

69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) v Albert Menque (Cameroon) or Thabiso Dlanini (Swz)

July 28th

Last 16

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Li Qian (China)
57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) v Mirazizbek Mitzakhalilov (Uzbekistan)

July 30th
Last 16

60hk Kellie Harrington (Ireland) v Rebecca Nicoli (Italy) or Esmerelda Falcon (Mexico)

Kurt Walker won on his Olympic debut after beating Spain’s Jose Quiles to get Ireland off to a winning start at the Tokyo Olympics in the early hours of this morning.

The Antrim featherweight took the first 10-9 across the board but Quiles bounced back to win the second 4-1, leaving Walker ahead on just one of the scorecards.

However, Walker won the last round on all cards to post a unanimous decision victory- 29-28,29-28,30-27,29-28,29-28.

He’ll now meet Uzbek No.1 seed Mirazizbek Mitzakhalilov in the last 16 on Wednesday.

Walker finished the fight with a cut over his right eye following a lively battle with the Spaniard.

Tokyo Olympics

July 24th

Last 32
57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Jose Quiles (Spain) 5-0

July 25th

Last 32
81kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) v Dilshod Ruzmetov (Uzbekistan)

July 26th
Last 32

52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Carlo Paalm (Philippines)

Last 16
57kg Michaela Walsh (Ireland) v Irma Testa (Italy) or Lludmila Voronstova (ROC)

July 27th
Last 16

69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) v Albert Menque (Cameroon) or Thabiso Dlanini (Swz)

July 28th

Last 16

75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) v Li Qian (China)
57kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) v Mirazizbek Mitzakhalilov (Uzbekistan)

July 30th
Last 16

60hk Kellie Harrington (Ireland) v Rebecca Nicoli (Italy) or Esmerelda Falcon (Mexico)