Brave Smith a step nearer Olympic qualification

With Katie Taylor preparing to glove up for her shot at Olympic qualification this morning (7am Irish time), flyweight Ceire Smith moved excitingly close to a place in the London Games by claiming a second victory at the Women’s World boxing championships in Quinhuangdao, China, yesterday.

The 19 year-old Cavan woman produced a strong counter-punching performance to outpoint Jamaican flyweight Sarah Joy Rae 12-4 for a place in the last 16 — just one fight away from a quarter-final position.

On Saturday she opened her campaign with a short route victory over Veglina Svetlana when the referee stopped the contest in the third round after she administered two standing counts to the luckless flyweight from Tajikistan.