Aidan Walsh moved within one fight of qualifying for the Olympics after an impressive victory over Yuri Zakharieiev of Ukraine in the last 16.
The 21-year-old Zakharieiev was a world champion in 2021, but the Belfast man was too strong, winning 4-1 in the 71kg category, his third win in four days.
Five boxers will qualify for Paris from Walsh’s category so even if he loses to Jordan’s Zeyad Eashash on Friday, he still has a chance via a box-off between the four beaten quarter-finalists. The 27-year-old won a bronze medal in Tokyo.
Welterweight Grainne Walsh won 5-0 over North Korea’s Hyo Sun Hwang, to reach the last 16. The Tullamore boxer must reach the semi-finals to make it to Paris. Super-heavyweight Martin McDonagh also went through, stopping Doan Minh Hieu Ngoc in the second round of their last-32 contest, after the Vietnamese boxer had been given three standing counts.
Former Irish world champion Amy Broadhurst, who has switched to representing the Britain, is through to the last 16 after a win over Terri Smith of Canada. She needs to get to the semi-finals to make the Olympics in Kellie Harrington’s category of 60kg.
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