Gráinne Walsh, Aoife O’Rourke and Patsy Joyce have guaranteed themselves at least bronze medals at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool.
Walsh prevailed on a split decision that went to countback, her victory over Olympic silver medallist and former world champion Yang Liu coming despite the docking of a point in her 65 kg quarter-final bout.
The Tullamore welterweight’s triumph over Mariana Soto of Spain in the last round was thrilling contest, but her last-eight fight was a turgid affair, with Yang’s conservative approach and reticence bordering on cowardice at times.
At 5’10”, the fighter from Inner Mongolia towered over Walsh and was intent on using her reach advantage to keep her rival at bay.
Clinching was a hallmark of the match-up from the opening bell, with the languid Chinese pugilist relying on her jab but offering little else.
Walsh, fighting in blue, took the opening round on a 4-1 split and was much the busier of the two fighters.
The Irish woman landed with a series of combinations in the second stanza, but when a fight did threaten to break out, Yang retreated to holding tactics.
The strategy paid off to a degree, with a frustrated Walsh docked that point for leading with her head as she attempted to engage with Yang.
There was a brief flurry of punches traded at the very end of the second, with a jarring right hook from Walsh and a right jab from southpaw Yang that rocked the head of Walsh providing rare highlights, and Yang shading the round 3-2.
Walsh upped the tempo in the third and continued to deliver body shots even when in the grip of Yang, with her shot count and endeavour just about hauling over the line.
Walsh’s hand was raised by the referee after the final bell and she progressed 28-28 29-27 28-28 28-28 29-27 on the judges’ scorecards.
Her opponent in the semi-finals will be Kazakhstan’s Aida Abikeyeva, who inflicted a crushing defeat on three-time world champion
Busenaz Surmeneli, with the Turkish fighter also the 2020 Olympic champion and the reigning European champion in the weight category.
O’Rourke came into her 75kg clash on the back of a unanimous victory over Monika Langerova of the Czech Republic and carried that form through against Norway’s Sunniva Hofstad.
While one judge carded Hofstad, the only boxer to win gold at all World Boxing Cups this year, as the victor, the other four scored it 30-27 in favour of the Irish fighter.
The Roscommon middleweight, a four-time European champion and silver medallist at the IBA-organised Worlds in March, will return to the ring in Saturday’s afternoon session where she will take on China’s Chengyu Yang for a place in the final.
Ireland’s Patsy Joyce connects with Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov of Uzbekistan
Mullingar featherweight Patsy Joyce edged the tightest of contests with Uzbekistan’s Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov 3-2 to double Ireland’s medal tally and secure his first senior world medal.
The 19-year-old from the Olympic Boxing Club, who had come in with concerns over a cut that had ended his 55kg last-16 bout prematurely, trailed on four cards after the first round but convinced three of the five judges in the second.
However, Mirzakhalilov was now 20-18 ahead on two scorecards, meaning Joyce had no margin for error in the final stanza.
The former Asian and world champion tried to press his 11 years younger opponent but was repeatedly caught on the counter and despite both men raising their hands in anticipation of victory, the decision went to the Westmeath man, 28-29, 29-28, 30-27, 28-29, 27-30.
After this stunning victory, Joyce will face Spain’s Rafael Serrano Lozano in the semi-finals on Saturday, looking to upgrade his bronze to at least silver.
O’Rourke’s sister Lisa missed out in the quarter-finals yesterday but Gráinne Walsh could guarantee a third Irish medal when she takes on China’s Yang Liu in the 65kg category at 7pm this evening.
You can watch the World Boxing Championships live on Eurovision Sport.