Barnes wins gold for Ireland in Moscow

Paddy Barnes claimed Ireland’s first European Amateur Championships gold medal for 19 years with a thoroughly convincing 4-1 win over Elvin Mamishzade of Azerbaijan.

The Belfast light-flyweight boxed a calm and tight fight throughout, building on a 1-0 lead at the end of the first round to go 3-1 up at the end of the second.

His team-mate, middleweight Darren O’Neill, took silver after a 13-7 loss to Russia’s Artem Chebotarev.

Barnes had courted controversy in the wake of his achievement in China by insisting: “bronze means nothing”. But today Ireland head coach Billy Walsh said Barnes’ fierce will to win had paid off.

Walsh said: “Paddy is a winner – it’s as simple as that. He doesn’t want to settle for second best and gold is all that he has desperately wanted all along. It’s a fantastic achievement and we’re all delighted for him.”

Barnes’ win gave Ireland second place in the medals table behind hosts Russia after a trio of bronze medals on Friday. Walsh added: “It’s amazing to finish as well as we have. It shows the strength of the programme we have in place.”