Sutherland assured a medal in Albania

DARREN SUTHERLAND is assured a medal at the Vajdin Lamaj Boxing Tournament in Tirana, Albania.

Sutherland, a scholarship student at DCU and the man being groomed to take over the middleweight berth vacated by Andy Lee, outpointed Artur Koci from Albania for a place in today’s semi-finals.

It proved a difficult contest for the Dubliner before three Albanian officials and an Albanian referee who gave him a warning for a low blow when he dropped his opponent with a clean body shot. He ended up with a 3-2 majority decision.