Victory for Donovan but battling Poles take plaudits
The fight was stopped in the third round after Chudecki had sustained an eye injury after the Kildare man had just snatched the lead.
Polish fans outnumbered the Irish supporters at the National Stadium where Poland featured no fewer than seven national champions in their 10-man team and they gave value for money against an Irish side that included the three boxers who won gold medals at last month’s multi-nations tournament in Ostrava, Donovan, Darren O’Neill and Kenneth Egan.
And there was seldom more than a point between Donovan and Chudecki after the Pole won the first round 4-3. Southpaw Donovan was getting through with some good shots and when he caught his man with a big left at the end of the second round, Chudecki was given a standing count. That point kept the margin at just one point, 11-10, in favour of the Pole going into the third.
The contest developed into a bruising battle with Donovan coming forward, getting through with the punches but taking his own fair share of punishment as Chudecki picked him off. Then Donovan pinned his man in a neutral corner midway through the third, forcing another standing count with a left to the head.
When the action resumed the referee saw the damage to Chudecki’s right eye and stopped the fight with Donovan leading 15-14 on points.
Limerick light fly, Jimmy Moore facing Lukasz Maszcyzk, ranked three in Europe, lost his battle for control of the ring early on to trail 5-1 at the end of the first round.
Maszczyk continued to build on his good start and won second round 7-3.
But still Moore came forward, scoring with a straight left but the Pole had too much artillery in his armoury and lead 18-5 going into the final round. The St Francis man was always willing to come forward to cut the arrears but he was caught with some clean, accurate punches as Maszcyzk won 24-8.
Bantamweight Kevin Fennessy brought huge support from Clonmel for his senior international debut and while he lost 22-11, he did not disappoint them with a wholehearted performance against Krzysztof Rogowski.
He used the ring well in the first round, picked his man off with some clean punches and was level 3-3 going into the second.
Rogowski won the second round 7-5 but he was having difficulty getting to Fennessy who caught him with some good left hooks.
The fight began to drift from Hennessy in the third after he was issued with a public warning for holding and, after trailing 15-9 going into the final round, he was never going to get back.
Flyweight Conor Ahern suffered his first ever stoppage on the 20-point rule in the third round after Rafal Kaczor had raced into a 21-6 lead in the second.
The two Joyce brothers from the St Michael’s club lost their respective contests. John Joe, the national senior lightweight champion, lost 21-14 to Krystof Szot while David, who replaced his injured clubmate, Roy Sheahan, at welterweight, was beaten 29-7 by another Polish champion, Michal Starbala.
Light Flyweight: J Moore lost to L Maszcyczk 24-8.
Flyweight: C Ahern lost to R Kaczor, RSCO Rd.3.
Bantamweight: K Fennessy lost to K Rogowski 22-11.
Featherweight: E Donovan bt M Chudecki 15-14 (RSC Rd 3).
Lightweight: J J Joyce lost to K Szot 21-14.
Light Welterweight: D Hamill lost to M Koperski 29-7.
Welterweight: D Joyce lost to Michal Starbala 25-7.
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