Ioana-Mera plots to dethrone Taylor

A former Munster and Cork champion will be standing in Katie Taylor’s way at the ninth European Women’s Boxing Championships in Romania today.

Taylor, Michaela Walsh and Joanna Lambe, who both won yesterday, will contest quarter-final bouts in Bucharest today.

Romania-born Lavina Ioana-Mera, who won Munster and county titles boxing out of the Mitchelstown BC in Cork, meets Taylor, the current Olympic champion, at approximately 2:30pm.

Taylor is aiming for a her sixth successive title in Bucharest. If she wins today she’ll have recorded her 21st consecutive European victory since first claiming Continental gold in 2005.

Ioana-Mera lived in Ireland before returning to Romania with her family a few years ago.

Michelstown BC coach Paul Murphy believes she good enough to win an Irish belt: “She was going to enter for the National a few years ago, but she returned to Romania. I believe she would have won an Irish title at the National Stadium if she’d entered.

“She’s a strong fighter. She’s hearty and she won’t back down. I think she will go the four rounds with Katie.”

Belfast bantamweight Walsh beat Ivanna Krupena of the Ukraine on a split decision to set up today’s last-eight clash with Russia’s Elena Savelava.

Monaghan featherweight Lambe scored a unanimous decision over Croatia’s Marija Petric, who Katie Taylor beat in Cork recently, and faces Bulgaria’s Svetlana Staneva today.

Cavan flyweight Ceire Smith bowed out of the tournament after dropping a split decision to Turkey’s Nur Caskun.

Meanwhile, John Conlan and 2008 Olympic silver medallist Kenneth Egan will be Irish coaches for the 45th Usti Nad Labem Grand Prix which begins in the Czech Republic today.