Ireland ko rivals to host 2007 EU boxing tournament

IRELAND has been awarded the 2007 European Union Boxing Championships, which will attract at least 27 nations to the National Stadium following a decision to allow the accession countries into the tournament.

"It is virtually a European championships without the likes of Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and the Ukraine, but we will now have nations like Turkey participating," competition director Dan O'Connell pointed out.

Despite the absence of Russia, the major power in world boxing, medals are not easy to come by. Last year Dubliner Kenneth Egan had to beat the European silver medallist, who later became World silver medallist, en route to the light heavyweight gold medal.