Boxing: Evans looking for Cuban revenge

Welshman Kevin Evans is aiming to repeat his performance of 1999 by securing at least a bronze medal at the World Amateur Boxing championships in Belfast today.

In Houston two years ago, Evans reached the heavyweight semi-finals, only losing to Cuban legend Felix Savon, a three-time Olympic champion.

Now he faces another Cuban in Odlanier Fonte Solis after defeating Michael Aslandis of Greece, 16-12, last night.

‘‘I’m really looking forward to boxing the Cuban as long as he’s not as good as Savon!’’ said Evans, who only returned to the sport in March after an 18-month lay-off.

‘‘It took me a couple of rounds to get going but once I did I got it together and now for the Cuban.’’

Four men, Steven Foster, Carl Froch, Courtney Fry and David Haye, will all be aiming to make history by becoming the first Englishmen to take medals from the World seniors.

Last night Froch produced another superb performance when cruising to a 27-14 victory over Antonios Giannoulas of Greece and he’s already thinking about gold.

‘‘I took it a bit easy in the last round because I’ve got another three fights ahead of me,’’ said Froch, who will face Ladislav Kutil of the Czech Republic.

‘‘I’m feeling very confident. I’ve now had 12 wins on the trot and that really builds up your confidence.’’

Light-heavyweight Fry produced the comeback of the day.

Having trailed 18-12 at the midway stage he came back from the jaws of defeat to beat tough South African Daniel Vester 29-26 - only taking the lead for the first time with just over a minute remaining.

Fry, who faces Claudio Rasco, said: ‘‘I found him very awkward and it was a hard fight.

‘‘But now I’ve got the chance of a bronze and I want to turn that into silver and then gold. I face the Romanian next and I’m expecting another tough fight.’’

Heavyweight Haye was a class above Holland’s Patrick Mesters, stopping him in the third round, while Scotland’s Colin McNeill outpointed Archak Ter Meliksetian of Brazil 29-14 to reach the welterweight quarter-finals.

Altogether, 12 boxers from the home nations will bid to secure a medal and half of those are Irish, led by their inspirational team captain Jim Moore, who is in the opposite end of the draw to McNeill.

Moore will tangle with Turkey’s Firat Karagollu while at light-welterweight Michael Kelly ended the hopes of England’s Danny Happe and now meets Frenchman Willy Blain.

Ken Egan completed Ireland’s six of the best last night when he defeated Lithuania’s Miroslav Krepstul 33-13, though featherweight John Paul Campbell lost in the third to Turkey’s Ramazan Palyani.

Light-fly John Paul Kinsella, light-heavyweight Alan Reynolds and bantam Damien McKenna are the host nation’s other medal prospects.