Irish Amateur Women Face Dutch Squad In Dublin, Cavan

The Irish Amateur Boxing Association have confirmed their squads for two meetings with Holland in Dublin and Cavan this weekend.

Both countries clash in the first ever women’s boxing international in Ireland at Dublin’s National Stadium on Friday night and 48-hours later at the Cavan Crystal Hotel.

World and European lightweight champion Katie Taylor faces Dutch southpaw Jessica Belber at lightweight (60Kg) on Friday and Willeke Verdellen at light-welterweight (64Kg) on Sunday.

The Taylor versus Belber contest is a repeat of the 2011 four-rounder which Taylor comprehensively won (21-1) on a St John’s BC hosted show in Cork last October.

Belber was edged out by a single point by Aizanat Gadzhieva of Azerbaijan at the 2011 European Women’s Championships in Holland. Taylor beat Gadzhieva in the quarter-finals en route to claiming her fifth European title in-a-row in Rotterdam.

Welterweight Laoise Traynor, a team-mate of Taylor’s at the Bray BC, is in action Sunday versus Lisa de Vilder.

IABA President Tommy Murphy said that the upcoming internationals will play their part in Ireland’s preparations for the 7th AIBA (2012) World Women’s Championships and only Olympic qualifier for female boxers in Qinhuangdao,China between May 8th and 20th.

Female boxing will make its historic debut at the 30th Olympiad in London. The three women’s Olympic weight categories are: flyweight (52Kg), lightweight (60Kg) and middleweight (75Kg).

“This will be the first time that Katie Taylor has boxed in a women’s international at the National Stadium. We’ve put together a talented young squad and everyone involved with the sport is looking forward to what will be marvelous occasions. Both sides contain some world class boxers and both internationals promise to be very competitive, said IABA President Tommy Murphy.

“The final European Olympic qualifier for men is in Turkey next month and then we have the women’s Olympic qualifiers in China in May. I would encourage sports fans to come along and support our talented young international boxers this weekend as they embark on what is a crucial period for Irish amateur boxing.”

Waterford flyweight Lynne McEnery and Holland’s Alicia Holsken meet in Friday’s curtain raiser, while 2011 AIBA World Youth bronze medalist Michaela Walsh is in against Joyce van Ee at featherweight at the National Stadium.

Sarah Close, Claire Grace and Sinead Kavanagh will also line out for Ireland at the South Circular Road venue.

Australian bantamweight Bianca Elmir and Scottish featherweight Kristen Fraser feature at the National Stadium versus Ireland’s Michelle Lynch and Dervla Duffy.

Boxing begins at 7.30pm Friday.