ANTRIM’S Jason McKay and Kerry’s Brian Wall guaranteed Ireland at least two bronze medals from the 16th European Junior Championships in Bulgaria.
But there was disappointment for Ireland’s Lewis Crocker, Darren Pollock, Kalum McConville and Wayne Kelly, who all lost out at quarter-final stage in Sofia yesterday.
McKay, who boxes out of the Canal BC, romped home to an 18-6 victory over Lithuanian light-flyweight Arturas Bankauskas.
And Cashen Vale BC middleweight Wall had his hand raised in victory after Turkey’s Mustafa Atmaca was retired after suffering a cut under his right eye.
Wall was ahead on points when the bout was stopped one minute into the third. “We delighted to have two boxers through to tomorrow’s semi-finals, said Irish coach Billy McClean.
“But we’re extremely disappointed with the scoring for Wayne Kelly against his Russian opponent.
“It was much, much closer than the final score suggested.”
Today is a rest day at the tournament. The semi-finals and finals will be held on tomorrow and Saturday.
RESULTS: 48kg: J McKay (Ireland) beat A Bankauskas (Lithuania) 18-6; 50kg: K McConville (Ireland) lost to O Koc (Turkey) 6-12; 57Kg: D Pollock (Ireland) lost to W Brayshnik (Germany) 13-16; 60kg: W Kelly (Ireland) lost to A Morokhin (Russia) 11-15; 66kg: L Crocker (Ireland) lost to O Takarchuk (Ukraine) 8-12; 75kg: B Wall (Ireland) beat M Atmaca (Turkey) RSCI3
(Semi-finals): 48kg: J McKay (Ireland) v I Kolev (Bulgaria) ; 75kg: B Wall (Ireland) v Z Kovacs (Hungary).
l Scotland’s Ricky Burns is looking forward to fighting Kevin Mitchell in a world title contest.
Burns will defend his WBO lightweight title against the Londoner in Glasgow on September 22.
Burns said: “The fight’s been on the boil for the last couple of years and the fans and press have been desperate for it to happen, it’s fantastic that it’s on at last.
“We are both at the top of our game now and I’m in this sport to prove that I’m the best. And I will do that against Mitchell.”
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