Entire Irish Boxing Squad Advances At World Championships

David Oliver Joyce recorded Ireland’s second win of the day at the AIBA World Championships and Olympic qualifiers in Azerbaijan this morning.

The St Michael’s Athy lightweight posted a 23-11 decision over Mohammad Momevand of Iran in Baku to set up a last-32 clash with Mohammad Khaiber of Afghanistan on Monday.

The Kildare man, who forced the tall and rangy Iranian into a standing count in round three, was 14-7 up when he answered the bell for the start of the third.

Earlier today, Darren O’Neill eliminated Glodi Eneste.

The Kilkenny southpaw beat the Norwegian middleweight 16-5 in a repeat of the 2009 European Union final which O’Neill, a silver medal winner at the 2010 European Championships, won 13-2.

The round scoring spoke for itself with O’Neill opening up a 7-2 advantage at the end of the first and extending that lead to 13-4 by the end of the second en route to his third win in-a-row over Eneste.

He’ll now meet 32-year-old Egyptian 2004 and 2008 Olympian Mohamed Hikal, a bronze medal winner at the 2005 AIBA World Championships, on Monday.

Today’s victories ensure that the entire ten-man Irish squad are now through to the last-32 of the tournament.

“We’re very happy with today’s wins. Darren and David boxed very well against their Norwegian and Iranian opponents in their first bouts at this World Championships. We’re now heading into what will be a very busy 24 hours,” said Irish team manager Des Donnelly.

Michael Conlan, Ray Moylette, Roy Sheehan, Joe Ward and Con Sheehan will be in action tomorrow.

Paddy Barnes, John Joe Nevin, David Oliver Joyce, Darren O’Neill and team captain Ken Egan will be between the ropes Monday.

Ward, Con Sheehan, Barnes, Nevin and Egan received byes into the last-32.