Conlon sets tone with thumping win

IRELAND’S Elite boxers are approaching the business end of the European Senior Championships in Turkey after claiming eight wins out of 10 in Ankara over the weekend.

Team captain Darren O’Neill, Michael Conlon and WillieMcLaughlin all won yesterday to march into the latter stages of the tournament.

Belfast flyweight Michael Conlon produced a magnificent final round to stun England’s former World Cadet champion Khalid Yafai yesterday to book his place in the last eight. Described by Irish coach Jimmy Halpin as an uncut diamond, Conlon, of the St John Bosco BC, hammered out an 19-10 decision over the Beijing Olympian and 2010 European silver medallist.

“It was an absolutely brilliant performance from Michael,” said IABA director of boxing Dominic O’Rourke.

“The first two rounds were fairly close but he ran away with the third.”

Conlon will now meet Italy’s Vincenzo Picardi in the quarter-finals tomorrow, just one win from a guaranteed bronze medal.

Conlon was joined in the last eight by Willie McLaughlin, following the Donegal welterweight’s 20-14 verdict over Borna Katalinic of Croatiayesterday.

The Illies GG ace will now meet Zaal Kvachatadze of Georgia tomorrow. McLaughlin’s win stretched Ireland’s unbeaten run to seven from seven fights since Friday.

Meanwhile, Kilkenny southpaw Darren O’Neill progressed to the last 16 in Ankara with a convincing 16-9 win over Germany’s Denis Radovan in the middleweight class yesterday.

The 2009 EU champ, a silver medal winner at the 2010 European Championships, forced Radovan into a standing count in the second round of the 75kg duel.

Dublin lightweight Michael McDonagh bowed out following a 16-6 reversal to Valodymyr Matvichuk of the Ukraine yesterday, while Con Sheehan lost 22-19 to Russian heavyweight Abdulkhamid Nurmagomedov.

World youth champ Joe Ward meets Ainar Karlson of Estonia today in a repeat of the Ireland v Estonia 2010 European Championships quarter-final, which Ken Egan won 7-4 en route to bronze in Moscow.

John Joe Nevin, Ray Moylette, Cathal McMonagle and O’Neill will also be between the ropes for last-16 clashes today. The quarter-finals will be held tomorrow with the semi-finals and finals pencilled in for Thursday and Friday.