James Moore from Arklow unfolded a performance rich in technique, variation of punch and resolve to secure a bronze medal, at least, at the World Boxing Championships in Belfast's Odyssey Arena yesterday.
The Irish team captain and welterweight systematically wore down the resources of his Turkish opponent, Firat Karagollo, to win a blistering quarter-final to a backdrop of deafening cheers, on a countback score of 118 to 82.
Karagollo had the lead in all but the crucial final round, but the Irishman's rapid combinations deservedly swung the fight in his favour.
The scoring judges, slow to see some of Moore's best shots, went close to spoiling the party. "I knew the judging was off the mark, going into the last, and felt I had to score with two or three combinations at a time if I was to get the decision."
Moore was adjudged to be two points adrift 16-18 going into the last round and proceeded to find his range to head and body.
"I couldn't believe that there was a need for a countback score (after 20-20). I thought I had done enough to win it on a straight verdict."
Moore, an electrician by trade, and coached by his father who is also the Irish team chief, began to look the physically stronger man from the third round onwards. The tense final round had to be stopped twice for Karagollo to have his headgear made secure.
Moore has got into a medal position the hard way, finally reaching his target by boxing four times in the highest entry (39) of all the weight classes. He now faces America's Anthony Thompson for silver today.
Light-fly John Paul Kinsella of Bray boxed to the last ounce only to be narrowly and dubiously beaten 22-20 by Romania's European bronze medal winner Velicu Marian. Kinsella repeatedly belied his lack of experience at this level by taking the fight to his man. A torrid final round saw the lead change hands. The Irishman's twofisted aggression presented Marian with huge problems.
Ireland's bantam Damien McKenna had been excited about meeting three-times European champion Agasi Agaguloglu of Turkey. But unfortunately the Drogheda man was outclassed by a slick southpaw.
McKenna could not have chosen a worse time to produce a sub-standard performance. The confident Turk, whose use of the ring was a defining feature, was well on his way to an ultimate third round stoppage (on the 15 point rule) with a 10point lead after the second round.
Dubliner Ken Egan was predictably ousted by the fancied Cuban middle, Yordanis Destaigne, on a score of 28-8.
Stylish French southpaw Willie Blain, a silver winner at these championships, boxed beautifully on the counter to beat Ireland's Michael Kelly 19-13 in the quarter-finals. Kelly, down 4-10 at the end of the second round, shared the third and fourth, his only consolation.
Another Frenchman, lightheavy John Dovi, confirmed his 16-2 win in the Olympic qualifiers, over Ireland's Alan Reynolds in a light-heavyweight contest that ended in the second round when Dovi reached the 15-points lead advantage.
