Ireland made a winning start to the AIBA 2012 Olympic qualifiers in Trabzon, Turkey….
David Oliver Joyce (blue) in action
Joe Ward and David Oliver Joyce got Ireland off to a winning start on the opening day of the AIBA Olympic qualifiers in Trabzon, Turkey.
Ward, the current European light-heavyweight champion, recorded a 16-6 win over experienced Swedish light-heavyweight Kennedy Katende last night.
And St Michael’s Athy lightweight Joyce had his hand raised in victory after Joe Cordina of Wales was retired by his own corner after taking two standing counts in the third.
Joyce was 10-4 down after the first round but turned things around in spectacular style in the second to command a 17-14 lead going into the third and final frame.
Ward will now meet Bahran Muzaffer of Turkey, who Ken Egan beat en route to silver at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, in the last-16 tomorrow, while Joyce faces Germany’s Arthur Bril in the last-16 on Tuesday in a repeat of the recent Chemistry Cup quarter-final which Joyce won on a countback following a 16-16 tie in Germany.
Irish head coach Billy Walsh said that they were delighted to get off to a winning start.
“It’s a great boost to the rest of the squad to make a winning start and it will give the squad confidence going into their contests. David was 10-4 down after the first but he produced a fantastic second round and really turned it around, said Walsh.
“Joe was in against a very experienced opponent and it was a fine win. He was in control and he did what he had to do.”
Ward, Ross Hickey, Adam Nolan, Tommy McCarthy and Con Sheehan will be in action today.
Paddy Barnes received a bye into the last-16 and will between the ropes Tuesday.
The Trabzon tournament is the final AIBA Olympic qualifier for Europe’s male boxers.
(www.iaba.ie experienced technical difficulties last night and was down for a number of hours)
AIBA European Olympic Qualifiers Trabzon, Turkey
April 15th (Evening) (last 32)
60kg: David Oliver
Joyce (Ireland) beat Joe Cordina (Wales) RET3
81kg: Joe Ward
(Ireland) beat Kennedy Katende (Sweden) 16-6
April 16th(Afternoon) (last 16)
64kg: Ross Hickey(Ireland) v Dimitri Galagot (Moldova)
69kg: Adam Nolan (Ireland) v Thomasz Kot (Poland)
April 16th (Evening) (last 16)
81kg: Joe Ward (Ireland) v Bahran Muzaffer (Turkey)
91kg: Tommy McCarthy (Ireland) v Copla Alem (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
91+kg: Con Sheehan (Ireland) v Muhammet Erkan Aci (Turkey)
April 17th (Evening) (last 16)
49Kg: Paddy Barnes (Ireland) v Istvan Ungvari (Hungary)
60kg: David Oliver Joyce (Ireland) v Arthur Bril (Germany)
Irish squad
49kg: Paddy Barnes (Holy Family GG)
60kg; David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy)
64kg: Ross Hickey (Grangecon)
69kg: Adam Nolan (Bray)
81kg: Joe Ward (Moate)
91kg: Tommy McCarthy (Oliver Plunkett)
91+kg: Con Sheehan (Clonmel)
