Egan and Barnes fall but Joyce leads fightback

KENNY EGAN’S hopes of a second Olympics appearance were dented yesterday when he retired a minute into the third round of his World Championship heavyweight debut in Baku.

Going in against young Cuban Jose Larduet Gomez, a former world youths champion, the Beijing Olympic silver medallist always faced a huge assignment and was 23-11 behind after the second round.

“I have only had a few fights at heavyweight and it’s still very much a work in progress,” he said.

“It’s a different kettle of fish. I’m not a full grown heavyweight yet. It’s actually hard to put on the weight. It’s not over yet.”

Earlier in the day, Olympic bronze medallist Paddy Barnes had a shock 20-12 loss to Philippino Mark Barriga.

“Maybe it’s because it was my first fight this year and it’s been a long wait out here,” he said.

“I was just too eager to get in there, throwing too many punches. Many of them were falling short and the guy was countering me. I hurt him with a few body shots but, to be brutally honest, I just boxed crap and that was it.”

Overall though it was another sensational day for Irish boxing with John Joe Nevin, David Oliver Joyce and Darren O’Neill joining Michael Conlon, Roy Sheahan, Joe Ward and Con Sheehan in the last 16 and all, except Sheehan, just one win away from Olympic qualification.

Nevin outpointed Indian Akhil Kumar 21-14, saying: “Boxing is about skill as well as punching. Move, hit and don’t be hit and that’s my type of boxing.”

Middleweight O’Neill won a hard-earned 15-13 decision over two-time Olympian Mohamad Hikal.

“He won a bronze medal at the World Championships before so I knew it was not going to be a walk over,” said O’Neill of the Egyptian.

“He knew how to make it difficult for me. I went into the third round with just a one-point lead. He got a warning and I said I had a bit of a cushion but almost immediately I got a warning, for what I’m not quite sure, but these things happen.”

David Oliver Joyce also gets his shot at Olympic qualification today. The Mullingar-born lightweight missed out at the World Championships in Chicago and the qualifiers in Athens last time around but yesterday produced one of the best performances to beat Mohammad Khaiber of Afghanistan 26-13.

“I’m buzzing tonight because my next fight is for a place in the Olympic Games,” he said.

“Now I’m here again fighting for a spot. I’m going to give everything I have, I’ll fight to the last bell, just to get that place in the Olympic Games.”