Ireland’s Elite boxers will be taking home four gold and two silver medals from Tampere, Finland……
Ireland claimed four gold and two silver medals from the 19-nation Elite Tammer Multi Nations which concluded in Tampere, Finland today.
David Oliver Joyce, who also scooped the Boxer of the Tournament award, Ken Egan, John Joe Joyce and Conrad Cummings finished on top of their respective podiums, while Ross Hickey and Con Sheehan won a brace of silver medals.
By www.iaba.ie
David Oliver got the gold rush underway with a top drawer win over Joe Cordina of Wales. The EU champion led 4-3 and 9-7 at the end of the first two rounds on his way to the 60kg title and to his second victory in-a-row over the Welsh lightweight.
John Joe Joyce, a cousin and St Michael’s Athy team-mate of David Oliver’s, secured Ireland’s second gold over Finland’s Antti Hietala. The Beijing 2008 Olympian and European bronze medallist was awarded a 12-10 decision.
David Oliver Joyce won gold and the Boxer of the Tournament Award
Ross Hickey was aiming for gold in the light-welterweight class but lost out to Sam Maxwell of the Sailsbury ABC in England.
Maxwell, who stopped Russia’s Albert Selimov – a former World and European champion – at the Olympic qualifiers in Turkey in 2011, also won the Best Technical Boxer award.
Conrad Cummings, meanwhile, cruised to a highly impressive 22-9 decision over Henri Kekalainen. The Belfast middleweight was in control of the three-rounder from the opening bell and floored his opponent twice in the final frame to cap a dominant display.
Ken Egan completed the hat-trick of wins over the hosts at the expense of Tomi Honka. The 2008 Olympic silver-medallist and ten-time Irish Elite champion, boxing well within himself, was rarely troubled in this light-heavyweight decider en route to a 16-8 decision and Ireland’s fourth gold medal of the day.
Ireland head coach Billy Walsh
Tipperary super-heavyweight Con Sheehan was targeting a 5th gold for Ireland but was beaten by a four-point margin by England’s Joe Joyce, who lost out to current Olympic champion Anthony Joshua in 2011.
The Irish team are due to arrive home via Dublin Airport via Stockholm at 12.10pm tomorrow and Irish Team Manager Eanna Green (South Meath BC) is delighted with the performances in Tampere.
“The entire squad boxed superbly all week and it is fantastic to be taking home four gold and two silver medals in our first Elite tournament since the Olympic Games in London, he said.
“Overall, the entire squad produced some fantastic displays – young Michael Nevin also won one bout here – and we’re delighted with their performances.”
Billy Walsh and Zuar Antia, who, along with Pete Taylor, helped steer Ireland to four medals at the London 2012 Olympics, were working Ireland’s corner in Tampere.
Fiona McCabe was Ireland physio and Larry Durand Ireland’s referee and Judge (R&J) in Finland.
Ireland’s boxers won 18 of their 21 bouts at the 33rd edition of the Elite tournament.
(Finland’s Mira Potkonen and England’s Chantelle Cameron, who Katie Taylor beat in the past, claimed gold in the women’s A and B lightweight finals).
Tammer Elite Multi Nations Tampere Finland
October 18th
56Kg: Michael Nevin (Ireland) beat Joe Ham (Scotland) 18-8
60kg: David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) beat Richard Needham (Wales) 19-7
69kg: John Joe Joyce (Ireland) beat Anthony Fowler (England) 17-10
October 19th Q/Finals
64kg: Ross Hickey (Ireland) beat Luva Melis (Italy) 29-10
69kg: John Joe Joyce (Ireland) beat Roman Szymanski (Poland) 21-10
56kg: Michael Nevin (Ireland) lost to Krisztian Nagy (Hungary) RET3
60kg: David Oliver Joyce Ireland) beat Dawid Michelus (Poland) 21-13
75kg: Conrad Cummings (Ireland) beat Ibragim Israelov (Sweden) RET2
81kg: Kenneth Egan (Ireland) beat Lawrence Osueke (England) 11-4
October 20th S/Finals
60kg: David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) beat Spatay Yegembayev (Kazakhstan) 17-8 (5-3, 11-6)
64kg: Ross Hickey (Ireland) beat Batyrzhan Jukembayev (Kazakhstan) 15-10 (4-2,7-5)
69kg: John Joe Joyce (Ireland) beat Souleymane Cissokho (France) RET 3 (2-1,8-6)
75kg: Conrad Cummings (Ireland) beat Ivan Klimashkin (Russia) 23-16 (6-5,15-11)
81kg: Ken Egan (Ireland) beat Niklas Rasanen (Finland) 19-9 (5-4, 12-7)
91kg+: Con Sheehan (Ireland) beat Maxim Babanin (Russia) 12-8 (4-2,8-4)
(Scores at the end of the first two rounds in brackets)
October 21st Finals
60kg: David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) beat Joe Cordina (Wales) 15-11 (4-3,9-7)
64kg: Ross Hickey (Ireland) lost to Sam Maxwell (England) 10-20 (3-6,6-14)
69kg: John Joe Joyce (Ireland) beat Antti Hietala (Finland) 12-10 (4-6, 6-8)
75kg: Conrad Cummings (Ireland) beat Henri Kekalainen (Finland) 22-9 (7-2,11-9)
81kg: Ken Egan (Ireland) beat Tomi Honka (Finland) 16-8 (3-1,9-3),
91kg: Con Sheehan (Ireland) lost to Joe Joyce (England) 16-20 (5-9,10-13)
(Scores at the end of the first two rounds in brackets)
Boxer of the Tournament; David Oliver Joyce (Ireland)
Best Technical Boxer; Sam Maxwell (England)
Irish squad Elite Tammer Multi Nations Tampere, Finland Oct 17th/22nd
56kg: Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
60kg: David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy)
64kg: Ross Hickey (Grangecon)
69kg: John Joe Joyce (St MIchael’s Athy)
75kg: Conrad Cummings (Holy Trinity)
81kg: Ken Egan (Neilstown)
91+kg: Con Sheehan (Clonmel)
Team Manager Eanna Green
Coaches: Billy Walsh & Zuar Antia
Team Manager: Eanna Green
Physio: Fiona McCabe
R&J: Larry Durand
