Irish pair bidding for gold

IRISH boxing sensations Joe Ward and Ryan Burnett are just three rounds away from winning double gold in today’s AIBA World Youth Championships finals in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Ward, the AIBA World Junior light middleweight champion, beat Columbia’s Palacio Carrillo 11-3 and meets Australian middleweight Damien Hooper this afternoon.

Burnett, from the Holy Family club in Belfast, advanced after coming from behind to beat Cuban Yosvany Soto Veita 5-3. He faces home favourite Salman Alizada.

Ward is confident he can create a unique piece of Irish boxing history today. He said: “I watched the Australian and he’s not a bad boxer. But I am confident I will win; that’s what I came out here for.

“I’m delighted I have got this far and I have one more step to take on Monday.”

Irish coaches Jim Moore and Jimmy Payne watched Burnett get the better of Alizada in a sparring session in training camp in Baku last week and Payne is hoping the home crowd won’t have an influence on the outcome of today’s 48Kg final.

He said: “Ryan battered the Azerbaijani lad in sparring and I think he’ll be too strong for him. It’s always difficult when you meet a boxer from the host nation, especially in the final – as long as we get fair play I would be confident.

“Ryan boxed magnificently against the Cuban and we’re over the moon with the two wins. The scoring looking a big tight in the second round in Joe’s bout but he was always in control. It’s a pity we haven’t got a few more or the lads involved in today’s finals as they all boxed very well out here, but we’re happy with what we’ve achieved.”

Yesterday’s wins guarantee Ward and Burnett at least silver. Both boxers also qualified for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August by virtue of reaching the semi finals.