Boxing:A year out from the London Olympics, Irish boxing again showed its rude health today as both Ray Moylette and Joe Ward claimed gold medals at the European Championships in Turkey today.
Moylette claimed Ireland’s first gold with a hard-fought 18-10 victory over Liverpool light-welterweight Thomas Stalker, who never quite got to grips with his opponent’s all-action style.
And 17-year-old Ward, from the Moate Boxing Club in Westmeath, claimed a stunning 20-12 victory over tough Russian Nikita Ivanov to land the spoils in the light-heavyweight division in his first major championships as a senior international boxer.
Moylette, 21, who boxes out of the St Anne's BC in Westport, shared the first round 5-5 with Stalker, a silver medal winner at the 2010 European Championships and the current Commonwealth champion.
However, Moylette, working comfortably behind his trademark high guard, fired home some quality body shots and left and right hooks in the second to command a 12-8 advantage at the bell before adding another six points to his advantage.
“I'm absolutely thrilled with the win, absolutely thrilled, " said the 2008 AIBA World Youth champ, who did a handstand in celebration in the ring immediately after his historic victory.
Ward got off to a slow start against the Russian but came storming back in the last minute of the first round, landing good scoring punches with both hands to take the round 7-3.
The Russian’s discipline was found wanting in the second as he received both a warning and a caution for landing blows under the belt, the first of which saw Ward taking a standing eight count.
Ward landed a number of good combinations to add to Ivanov’s problems, taking the round 8-3 to create a nine-point gap at 15-6 going in to the final three minutes.
Ward, who ended Ken Egan’s reign as Irish champion, adapted a defensive strategy, and his high guard and use of the ring further frustrated the Russian as Ward showed experience beyond his years to close out the fight.
Ivanov took the final round on a scoreline of 6-5, with Ward claiming gold by the handsome margin of eight points (20-12).