Sport

Moylette's defeat mars good day for the Irish

BOXING: ROY SHEEHAN, Michael Conlan and Joe Ward are just one win away from qualifying for the 2012 Olympics following last-…

BERNARD O'NEILL
Mon Oct 03 2011 - 01:00

BOXING:ROY SHEEHAN, Michael Conlan and Joe Ward are just one win away from qualifying for the 2012 Olympics following last-32 victories at the AIBA World Championships and Olympic qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan yesterday.

Tipperary super-heavyweight Con Sheehan also advanced, but European light-welterweight champion Ray Moylette crashed out following a 19-7 reversal to Indian 2010 Commonwealth champion Manoj Kumar.

Sheehan, who boxes out of the Clonmel BC, had his hand raised in victory after the referee stopped his contest with Faruth Kalonov of Tajikistan when Kalanov took a second standing count in the second round. Sheehan was leading 24-4 at the time.

He’ll now meet Italy’s 2008 Olympic gold medallist and two-time AIBA World Champion Roberto Cammerelle in the last-16 on Tuesday.

READ MORE

Sheehan’s victory was Ireland’s second in a row over Tajikistan yesterday, as European light heavyweight champion Joe Ward hammered Dilovarsho Abdurakhmanov 22-4 to set up a last-16 meeting with Ehsan Rouzbahani of Iran.

The 17-year-old 2010 World Youth champion, who was seeded number two in the draw, was happy with his win.

“In the second and third I picked up the tempo and started to pick him off nicely and do a job on him. It’s only one fight over, I have nothing done yet. Hopefully, I can pick up on my performance against Iran and I can do very well,” he said.

Conlan claimed his second win at the Championships after edging a 18-17 decision over Olzhas Sattibayev of Kazakhstan. The Belfast flyweight will now meet number two seed Nordine Oubaali of France in the last-16 on Tuesday.

St Michael’s, Athy welterweight Roy Sheehan completed a good day for the Irish in Baku with a 21-17 verdict over Borna Katalinic of Croatia, who he beat in the 2005 AIBA World Championships in China.

Moylette, who was seeded fourth in the draw, admitted that he had a bad day at the office.

“The Indian, fair play to him, he kept me at a distance. I think he was stronger and hit that bit harder and kept me out. He was the better boxer on the day and all credit to him and I hope he goes all the way and does it, he said. I just wasn’t good enough on the day.”

Irish team captain Ken Egan, Paddy Barnes, David Oliver Joyce, John Joe Nevin and Darren O’Neill will be in action this morning and afternoon (Irish time).