BOXING:RUSSIA'S SOFYA Ochigava and Turkey's Gulsum Tatar have entered Katie Taylor's lightweight category at the European Women's Championships which begin in Rotterdam, Holland, today.

World lightweight champion Taylor, who is aiming for her fifth European title in-a-row, is part of a nine-strong Irish squad at the championships.

Ochigava and Tatar, who have beaten Taylor in the past, have claimed AIBA World titles at bantamweight (54kg) and light-welterweight (64kg) in the last five years. However, and as expected, both boxers have moved up and dropped down to Taylor’s 60kg category which is one of three Olympic weight classes of flyweight, lightweight and middleweight for women.

Taylor’s coach and dad, Peter Taylor, predicted that the Rotterdam tournament will be as tough as the World Championships and expects his daughter to be in action this afternoon.

Katie Rowland and Michaela Walsh, both bronze medals winners at the 2011 AIBA World Youth Championships, are part the Irish squad in Rotterdam.

The draw will be made in Rotterdam this morning. The 2012 AIBA World Championships in China next May will act as the only Olympic qualifier for women.

Meanwhile, three quarter-finals were decided on count backs following 11-11 ties at the National U-21 Championships at Dublin’s National Stadium on Saturday.

Michael Stephens, Darragh Mullan and Chris Blaney advanced on accepted scores at the home of Irish boxing.

Belfast’s Sean McComb produced a “royal” performance to book his ticket into the last-four with an inside the distance win over Dublin’s Prince Silwea.

The light-middleweight category featured a hat-trick of inside the distance wins, Christy Joyce, Emmet Brennan and Liam Green all taking the early route to victory.

The Under-21 Championships semi-finals will be held next Friday evening (6.30pm). The finals will be decided on Friday, October 28th.