Katie Taylor back on big stage with unanimous win

Katie Taylor returned to winning ways, progressing to a bronze medal bout at the European Games in Baku yesterday.

Taylor, in her first bout since November, showed some ring rustiness, registering a 40 – 36 unanimous decision victory over Bulgaria’s Denitsa Eliseeva. Eliseeva was the last fighter to defeat the European champion back in 2011.

The Olympic champion was in no mood to hang around and landed early body shots within the opening 30 seconds of the first round, looking to dominate from the opening bell.

“That was the tactic, a fast start, win the first round,” revealed Taylor. “I knew I’d have to dig deep, but she’s a great warrior. So I’m happy to be through now to the quarter-finals.”

This of course is not new territory for the Bray woman, who was watched on by a loud Irish crowd including Sonia O’Sullivan, Athletics Ireland president Ciaran Ó Catháin and European Olympic council president Pat Hickey.

Taylor appeared to tire during the second round, though showing no signs of a wrist injury sustained in November, and believes the rounds will relieve the ring rustiness from her system.

“I hope so, yeah!” grinned Taylor. “I’ll be in trouble if I’m not improving, but again the first fight is always hard to get through, and it’s great to get the four rounds against such tough opponents,” she said.

Taylor faces Sweden’s Ida Lundblad in Wednesday’s bronze medal bout, taking place at 8.45am Irish time.

Lundblad came through a brawling contest with Turkey’s Gamze Basar, just before Taylor lifted the Crystal Hall roof with her entrance.

The Irish fighters have won over the crowd in the Baku venue, Michael O’Reilly producing a comfortable decision victory in the early session, defeating Montenegro’s Emir Sabotic on a unanimous 30 – 27 scoreline.

“Yeah, I felt very relaxed in there,” said O’Reilly. “Just doing my best to hit, and not get him.

“My next one is against the Slovenian,” added O’Reilly, who faces Ajaz Venko in the bronze medal bout. “He’s a fighter, so I’ll wait for the tactics from Billy Walsh, and see what he wants me to do.”

Light welter Dean Walsh recovered from a weak opening round for a split decision victory over Russian Maxim Dadashev, Walsh receiving a standing count early in the first, though he boxed expertly in the second round.

Darren O’Neill made it four from four in yesterday’s round of 16 bouts, defeating Latvian Raitis Sinkevics in the heavy weight division on a unanimous 29-28, 29-28, 30-27.

“Look, it’s fantastic, and we came here with a young team, bar myself and Adam Nolan, the two grandads, and I suppose Katie has been around for a while. So it’s a great to get this far on a major stage,” admitted the Irish captain.

Meanwhile, Conor Dunne’s cycle road race came undone in the closing stages.

Dunne held a top-eight position in the lead group for the majority of the 215.8km, before eventually finishing 45th.

Dunne, 23, was railed in by the peloton, having made brave early moves, clocking 5:33.56. Eddie Dunbar finished in 48th place in 5:42:49.

Sean Downey, Ryan Mullen, and Jack Wilson all failed to finish.

Natasha MacManus finished in 10th place in the Women’s 3 metre springboard diving final, having qualified in the morning’s earlier session.