Irish Amateur Boxing Awards Dinner This Saturday

Ireland's top boxers will be honoured at the Irish Amateur Boxing Association hosted Annual Awards at the Green Isle Hotel in Dublin on Saturday night.

The Centenary year of Irish amateur boxing was another outstanding twelve months with numerous medals claimed in World and European competition and three places secured at the London 2012 Olympics.

Likewise, Katie Taylor won her fifth European title in-a-row in Holland and her fourth European Union title on-the-trot in Poland.

John Joe Nevin became the first Irish male boxer to win two medals at AIBA World Championships level, while 2008 and 2010 AIBA World Youth champions Joe Ward and Ray Moylette claimed double gold at the European Senior Championships.

Nevin, the youngest member of the Irish 2008 Olympic squad in Beijing, Darren O'Neill and Michael Conlan qualified for the 30th Olympiad.

Ireland's young boxers also claimed gold, silver and bronze at the 1st AIBA Women's World Youth and Junior Championships and the European Youth, Junior and Schoolboy Championships.

Young John Joyce won gold at the European Schoolboy Championships in Russia, tweleve months after he took home bronze from the same tournament in Bulgaria.

AIBA President Dr Ching Kuo-Wu was the guest of honour at the IABA hosted European Youth Championships at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin, while Tyrone referee and judge (R&J) Michael Gallagher achieved an historic first for Irish boxing after scooping the AIBA 2011 World R&J award.

Saturday's Annual Awards ceremony begins at 8pm sharp. Dress code: black tie.

Meanwhile, 18 semi-finals at the Open Youth Competition will be decided on Friday evening at Dublin's National Stadium.

The finals will be held on Saturday. Boxing begins at 6pm on Friday and 11am on Saturday.