Jude Gallagher
Tyrone fighter Jude Gallagher earned Team Ireland’s opening win at the World Boxing Cup in Brazil, with a split decision success over Kazakhstan’s Zhanseri Kosherbayev, a 2024 World Youth medalist.
The 24-year-old Newtownstewart native is through to the last-16 following a tightly contested bout in Foz do Iguacu, and speaking to the media afterwards, the Olympian says a body shot in the last round was a key moment in the bout.
“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,” said Gallagher.
“The last round was very important. I knew it was level going into 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.”
Gallagher, who won gold at featherweight in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, has moved up to lightweight [60kg] and will face American Salim Ellis-Bey in the last-16 on Wednesday.
However, it was not to be for Jack Marley, as the Monkstown BC heavyweight lost his last-16 bout to Dean Nwokedi Chime of Italy.
The 4-1 decision went to the Italian boxer.
Belfast’s Holy Trinity boxer Jon McConnell lost a 3-2 split decision to Kazakhstan’s Farukh Tokhtassunov in Monday’s evening session.
Paris Olympians Daina Moorehouse and Dean Clancy get their campaigns underway on Tuesday. In all, 11 boxers are representing Team Ireland at the event in Foz do Iguacu.