Ireland’s Jude Gallagher recorded a 4-1 win over Kazakhstan’s Zhanseri Kosherbayev in his last-32 bout at the World Boxing Cup in Brazil, but Jack Marley and Jon McConnell both met with defeat in Foz do Iguacu.
In a tight, technical 60kg contest against Kosherbayev, the judges scored the bout 29:28, 30:27, 28:29, 30:27, 29:28 in favour of the Tyrone fighter.
Speaking after the victory, fight, Gallagher said: “A tough one to get started. A very good opponent, a very technical, high-skilled bout, so I’m just delighted to come out on the right side of that one.
“The last round was very important. I knew it was level going in to the last. I sort of went through him, took him by surprise a wee bit and I think I hurt him with a body shot. That allowed me to pick my shots better and control the third round.”
Marley came out on the wrong side of a 4-1 verdict in his last-16 encounter against Dean Nwokedi Chime.
The judges scored the 90kg contest 29:28, 29:28, 27:30, 29:28, 29:28 in favour of the Italian.
McConnell also bowed out, following a 3-2 split in favour of Kazakhstan’s Farukh Tokhtassunov in their 70kg last-32 contest, with the scorecards going the way of Tokhtassunov 28:29, 28:29, 29:28, 29:28, 29:28.
Michaela Walsh, Daina Moorehouse and Dean Clancy represent Ireland on day two in Brazil.