Zaur Antia hails fighting Irish as Katie Taylor and David Oliver Joyce close on Rio Olympics

Ireland’s male and female lightweights Katie Taylor and David Oliver Joyce are one victory each away from qualifying for Rio 2016 after winning their quarter-final bouts at the European Olympic qualifiers in Samsun, Turkey yesterday.

Taylor eased past Denmark’s Yvonne Rasmussen on a unanimous decision and Joyce beat Vazgen Sufaryants of Belarus on a unanimous verdict after a toe-to-toe slug fest.

Antrim’s Brendan “Wee Rooster” Irvine, the No. 1 seed in the flyweight class, is also through to the last-four and has one foot on the plane to Rio after posting a split verdict over France’s Elie Konki.