World Boxing Championships Kick Off in Liverpool
In an exciting start to the World Boxing Championships held in Liverpool, Michaela Walsh made a remarkable entrance into the competition with a dominant performance. The two-time Olympian from Belfast successfully defeated Saudi Arabia’s Hadeel Ashbour in the last 32 of the featherweight category, leading the referee to stop the contest at just 2:29 into the first round. This marks a significant milestone as it is the inaugural participation of Ireland in this championship under a newly formed boxing organization, following their membership commencement in May.
Advancements and Challenges
Walsh is now set to advance to the round of 16, where she will face Shih-Yi Wu after the Taiwanese boxer triumphed over Croatia’s Nikolina Cacic by a unanimous decision.
On a less favorable note, Belfast flyweight Louis Rooney faced elimination in his bout against Jordan’s Huthaifa Eshish. The match concluded with a narrow 3-2 split decision, showcasing fierce competition where Eshish took an early lead, claiming two rounds over three of the judges’ cards. Despite Rooney intensifying his efforts in the final round to sway the tied cards in his favor, he could only secure one, resulting in his departure from the tournament.
Other Notable Performances
Additionally, fellow Olympian Grainne Walsh had a successful outing, winning her 65kg opener against Slovakia’s Jessica Triebelova with a unanimous decision. This victory sets her up for a challenging match against Spain’s Mariana Soto Torres on Monday. Meanwhile, Gavin Rafferty unfortunately succumbed to defeat in his middleweight match against Saidjamshid Jafarov, losing by a 5-0 decision.
This year’s championships are proving to offer intense matches and showcase the talents of boxers from around the world, establishing a new chapter in international boxing.
