JOYCE TO MEET SELIMOV IN RIO TONIGHT

David Oliver Joyce (red) in action in Rio

David Oliver Joyce (red) in action in Rio.

 

Irish lightweight David Oliver Joyce will be back between the ropes tonight aiming for a place in the quarter-finals of the Olympic Games versus Albert Selimov of Azerbaijan.

Both boxers will be in the ring at approximately 9:45pm this evening (Irish time) in Rio.

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Thirty-year-old Selimov, a two-time Olympian for two different nations,claimed a gold medal for Russia at the 2007 World Elite Championships in Chicago, where Paddy Barnes qualified for his first Olympics, and a silver medal for Azerbaijan at the 2015 World Elites in Qatar after he was TKO’d (albeit on an injury) by Cuba’s Lazaro Alvarez, the No. 1 seed in Rio, in the 60kg final.

The No. 2 seed in Rio also secured two European Elite gold medals, beating Joyce’s St Michael’s Athy BC team-mate Eric Donovan in the semi-finals en route to the top of the 60kg podium at the Ice Palace in Moscow in 2010.

The Azeri outpointed Belfast’s Sean McComb in the last-four of the European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan last year, a tight affair in which McComb asked plenty of questions, before decisioning France’s Sofiane Oumiha in the 60kg decider in the Azeri capital.

Joyce,29, a three-time EU Elite gold medallist and multiple Irish Elite champion, beat Andrique Allisop of the Seychelles on his Olympic debut on Sunday to set up the last 16 showdown with Selimov who received a bye.

He’s determined to build on the momentum of his impressive Olympic debut.

“Doesn’t bother me (meeting Selimov). I sparred him in camp in Azerbaijan for a couple of days. He knows what he’s in for. I’m going to give it hell for leather,” vowed the current Irish Elite champion who beat McComb,another three-rounder which went right down to the wire,in the Irish Elite 60kg final last December.

Meanwhile, Paddy Barnes has sportingly congratulated Spain’s Samuel Carmona,who beat the Belfast light-fly on a split decision yesterday.

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Barnes tweeted; “Weight killed me, can’t fight at 49kg anymore, no energy at all today, 1st time making the weight since 2014. Fair play to Spanish lad!”

World Elite champion Michael Conlan, who boxes at the weekend in Rio, tweeted that Barnes was a legend of Irish sport and recently crowned WBA World  featherweight champion Carl Frampton, who dropped one decision to David Oliver Joyce and won another, tweeted that Barnes is still a hero.

Irish Draw Rio Olympics

August 7th (last 32)

60kg David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) beat Andrique Allisop (Seychelles) 3-0
69kg Steven Donnelly (Ireland) beat Zahir Kedache (Algeria) 3-0

August 8th (last 16)
49kg Paddy Barnes (Ireland) lost to Samuel Carmona (Spain) 1-2

August 9th (last 16)
60kg David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) v Albert Selimov (Azerbaijan)

August 10th (last 16)
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) v Andrea Mina (Ecuador)

August 11th (last 16)
69kg Steven Donnelly (Ireland) v Tuvshinbat Byamba (Mongolia)

August 12th (last 16)
75kg Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) v Uziel Rodriquez (Mexico) or Waheed Karawi (Iraq)

August 13th (last 32)
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) v Shakhobidin Zoirov (Uzbekistan)

August 14th (last 16)
56kg Michael Conlan (Ireland) v Aram Avagyan (Armenia) or Arashi Mariska (Japan)

August 15th (Q/Finals)
60kg Katie Taylor (Ireland) v Mira Potkonen (Finland) or Adriana Araujo (Brazil)

Irish squad

Women
60kg (Lightweight) – Katie Taylor (Bray)

Men
49kg (Light-flyweight) – Paddy Barnes (Holy Family)
52kg (Flyweight) – Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s)
56kg (Bantamweight) – Michael Conlan (Clonard)
60kg (Lightweight) – David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy & AIBA Pro Boxing)
69kg (Welterweight) – Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
75kg (Middleweight) – Michael O’Reilly (Portlaoise)
81kg (Light-heavyweight) – Joe Ward (Moate & AIBA Pro Boxing)

Team Manager: Joe Hennigan
Coaches: Zaur Antia, Eddie Bolger, John Conlan
Physio: Julianne Ryan
Sport Psychologist: Gerry Hussey