Star turns focus to completing an Italian job on Valentino
The 21-year-old Kildare man was stripped of his bantamweight title by another clubmate, David Oliver Joyce, at this year’s senior championships, then stepped up a division and proved yesterday that he can be every bit as effective at his new weight when he stopped Osama Hadifi of Denmark on the 20-point rule in the third round of his opening contest.
It was a devastating performance and now he just can’t wait to meet the Italian, whom he beat as a junior when Ireland boxed Italy in a junior international at the National Stadium.
Since then Valentino has taken a silver medal at the European Championships, a bronze at the World Championships and, while he failed to win a medal, he reached the business end of the Olympic boxing in Athens.
In Dublin he is going for his fourth successive European Union title and his performance against Doncho Gadzhev of Bulgaria yesterday, while not as devastating as Donovan’s, was impressive, winning 33-11.
“Valentino is very good,” Donovan admitted, “but the last time I boxed him was in the stadium in 2003 and I beat him 8-7 in a junior international between Ireland and Italy.
“He captained Italy and I captained Ireland. It was a brilliant fight. That was at 57kgs and he went up to 60kgs and I went down to 54kgs when we turned senior. He went from strength to strength ever since. He won a silver medal at the European Championships in Croatia in 2004 and a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2005. He went to the Olympics as well and boxed for a medal.
“He is a seasoned amateur — probably one of the best in the world at the weight — and he his going for four in a row at those championships. I am hoping to spoil his plans. That is what I am here for.”
Donovan threw some big punches against the Dane but he was quick to point out that Denmark is not the strongest boxing nation and he just wanted an easy draw to get his campaign under way.
Working from behind an accurate southpaw jab, he used the big left to the body sparingly but when he did, it was awesome.
“It’s my best punch but the hand is a little bit tender at the moment,” he said. “I have been carrying a slight injury and that is why I was not letting it go as much against the Dane because I did not have to. But if I have to let that left hand go against Valentino — which I know I will — then I am going to let it go every chance I get.”
John Joe Joyce, who Donovan replaced at lightweight, also stopped his man on the 20-point rule in the second round of his contest with Welshman Rmya Evans, outscoring him from the first bell to lead 12-1 at the end of the first round.
And, like Donovan, he will meet defending champion, Gyula Kate (Hungary), who has been champion for the past two years, in tomorrow’s quarter finals. The Hungarian was a clear-cut winner, 23-8, over the tough Croatian, Boris Katalinic.
Conor Ahern got the host nation off to the best possible start when he beat Stewart Langley of England 20-19 in an untidy flyweight contest.
The Baldoyle flyweight was on the floor eight times — accompanied by the Englishman on two occasions — as they wrestled their way through four gruelling rounds.
“I boxed him here twice in the Four Nations and I boxed him once in England, so we know each other well,” Ahern said.
“I am delighted to have the victory because I am just over a back injury. It is okay. Once adrenalin kicks in it is down to business.
“The fight was very messy. Both of us were messy. There was holding and there was wrestling. I am just glad to have come out on top.
“We know each other so well. We are totally different type of fighters. I am a fighter and he is a boxer so there was a complete clash straight away.”
Ahern also meets the defending champion, Salim Salimov (Bulgaria), in the quarter final tomorrow evening while this evening Ireland will have two boxers in action. Heavyweight John Sweeney meets Michael M. Bumba (France) and super heavyweight Cathal McMonagle meets Kurban Gunebakan (Turkey).
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