Michael Carruth: Joe Ward has Julio La Cruz’s number

Olympic champion Michael Carruth believes that three-time European champion Joe Ward has Julio La Cruz’s number on the road to Tokyo 2020.

La Cruz, the current Olympic and World gold medallist, controversially beat Irish captain Ward on a 3-2 split decision in the Chemistry Cup 81kg semi-final in Halle, Germany yesterday.

Ward floored the Cuban, who took a count, with a right hook in the first and dominated the second while the third round of the repeat of the last two light-heavy World finals, which La Cruz won, was close.