Sensational Christina Desmond step closer to Rio Olympic dream
But Cork middleweight Christina Desmond stole the show on her last day as a teenager.
The Leeside southpaw, who turns 20 today, sensationally dumped Dutch No. 1 seed Nouchka Fontijan out of the tournament.
The World Youth silver medallist took the first two rounds 10-9 across the board against the current European Elite champion and World Elite bronze medallist.
The Fr Horgans BC standout now meets Hungary’s 2013 World Youth gold medallist Petra Scatmari tomorrow, two wins away from qualifying for Rio.
“My twin brother Michael isn’t very pleased that I’ll miss our birthday celebrations tomorrow but he’s thrilled that I won and so am I, said Desmond.
“I didn’t mind being the underdog, suited me fine. She’s (Fontijan) the best in Europe if not the best in the world.” Taylor, meanwhile, eased past Martina Schmoranzova of the Czech Republic and will be a hot favourite to beat Denmark’s Yvonne Rasmussen in the quarter-finals tomorrow.
“Katie was classy. There was never any time when she was in danger. The three ladies all won well today and Christina was a total sensation altogether,” said Joe Hennigan, the Irish team manager.
Hennigan, however, believes that Wexford light-welter Dean Walsh did enough to beat Azerbaijan’s No. 1 seed Lorenzo Sotomayor.
Two of the judges went with the Azeri, but a third gave Walsh all three rounds in a controversial 29-28-29-28,27-30 verdict.
Smith beat Hungary’s Virginia Barankas in the women’s flyweight class and Brendan Irvine, the No. 1 seed in the men’s flyweight class, outpointed Germany’s Hamza Touba.
Tipperary’s Dean Gardiner went out Azeri super-heavy Mahammadrausl Majidov, who beat recently crowned IBF World pro champion Anthony Joshua in the 2011 AIBA World Elite final, on a unanimous decision last night.
London 2012 Olympian Darren O’Neill, David Oliver Joyce and Michael O’Reilly are in action today.
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