For the conspiracy theorists, it was the perfect first day at the Women's World Boxing Championships in Jeju with the organisers announcing there would be no seeding for the competition.

The decision prompted one member of the Irish team to utter the word “unbelievable” in exasperation prior to the draw.

As it turned out, world number one Katie Taylor was placed in the same half of the draw as wily Russian Sofya Ochigava, the world number two and her main rival. The pair are projected to meet in the quarter-final.

Also on that side of the draw are Britain's fancied Chantelle Cameron and former World Championship finalist Queen Underwood (USA), as well as the last person to ever beat the Irish Olympic champion, Denista Eliseeva.

When the governing body, AIBA, were asked whether there was a reason the ranked boxers were not seeded, the emailed answer was a cheery “no seeding this time, no particular reason”.

Still, the truth is that Ochigava and Underwood will have surveyed the outcome with deeper consternation than Taylor.

Narrow margin

Few will forget the fight between the Russian and Irish champion in the Olympic final. Cagey, little action and in the end a fraught, narrow-margin win for Ireland.

“The outcome was perfect but Katie was disappointed with her performance at the Olympics,” said her father Pete. “For someone to beat Katie here, they would have to sacrifice themselves because no one will beat her easily and they will be spent for the next fight.”

Taylor didn’t fight Ochigava at this year’s European Championships in Bucharest, with the Irish boxer overcoming another counter puncher, Estelle Mossely, in the final.

First up for Taylor is Dominica’s lightweight Valerian Spicer tomorrow. Irish bantamweight Michaela Walsh also goes in tomorrow against Jamaica’s Sarah-Joy Rae with featherweight Joanna Lambe and welterweight Clare Grace both in the ring this morning.