Jude Gallagher closes in on European medal with stunning Sofia stoppage

Jon McConnell will fight for a medal on Monday afternoon

Jude Gallagher (left) is one bout from a European Elite medal. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

Jude Gallagher is one fight from a European Elite Championships medal after a blistering stoppage performance to beat Frenchman Lounes Hamraoi in their last 16 bout in Bulgaria.

The 24-year old, a Paris Olympian, fell behind on four of the five scorecards after a cagey first round when he was caught on the counter too often by his opponent, but the response was hugely impressive.

Gallagher tore into Hamraoi from the second the bell went for round two, backing him into corners with a succession of intense attacks and a plethora of body blows that opened up the defences higher up.

The Frenchman took a standing count and then another in the third round before the Dutch referee put an end to it. Gallagher, a 2022 Commonwealth champion who won bronze at this summer’s edition, is now three rounds from a European equivalent in the 60kg class.

“Delighted,” Gallagher said. “Against a very, very good opponent. I went out and tried to box him in the first round, he’s a counter puncher, so he just edged me in that because I was a wee bit slow.

“Had to change the tactics second round and caught him early with a body shot. Count in the second and finish in the third so delighted.” Dublin’s Kellie McLoughlin had earlier exited the tournament in Sofia with a split decision loss to Sthelyne Grosy of France.

The 28-year old struggled to deal with the evasive counter-punching style of the smaller French fighter and fell behind after a difficult first round. There were better patches in rounds two and three but not enough to persuade more than one of the five judges.

Grosy, a multiple European U22 and U23 medallist, will now fight for a medal in the 60kg quarter-finals.

Jon McConnell fights for a medal in Bulgaria on Monday afternoon. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher

Team Ireland will have three more boxers in action in Bulgaria on Monday.

Two-time Olympian Michaela Walsh faces a Montenegrin opponent in Bojona Gojkovic in the 57kg class, while Gavin Raffrerty is up against Mateusz Urba of Poland in the 75kg. Both are last 16 fights.

Jon McConnell will fight for a medal when he pits himself against Italy’s Gabriele Guidi Rontani in the afternoon in the 70kg. The recent Commonwealth Games champion has already fought twice in the tournament.

Rontani is the reigning Mediterranean Games champion and a World Boxing Cup China bronze medalist.

Four other Irish boxers – Daina Moorehouse, Lisa O’Rourke, Evelyn Igharo and Jack Marley - are already through to quarter-final medal fights on the Tuesday.