TWELVE young boxers will qualify for the European championships in Denmark when the finals of the Irish championships take place in the National Stadium in Dublin on Friday. The carrot awaiting them then will be an opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Games in Atlanta next July. The European championships offer a passport to, the Olympics to anyone who reaches the last eight.

In these circumstances every one of the bouts will be of particular interest but the heavyweight division is perhaps the most attractive, given that the vastly experienced Paul Douglas from Holy Family in Belfast will be taking on the new Irish heavyweight hope Cathal O'Grady from Meath.

Another bout likely to attract attention will be at light flyweight between Jim Prior from Darndale and Colin Moffat from Belfast.