Updated 18.20
MICHAEL CONLAN WRAPPED up a stunning day for Ireland’s boxers in Minsk today as he booked his place in a European final.
The Belfast man’s split decision victory over Russia’s Ovik Ogannisian meant it was four from four for Billy Walsh’s team at the European Championships.
The flyweight set up a meeting with top seed Andrew Selby of Wales in the decider this weekend thanks to a 30-27, 28-29, 30-27 performance.
Earlier, John Joe Nevin celebrated his birthday with a semi-final win. But the party will have to be put on hold until tomorrow when the Mullingar native fights for bantamweight gold. He beat Wladimir Nikitin of Russia 29-28 while Paddy Barnes and Jason Quigley also kept their gold medal dreams alive.
All four are now guaranteed European silver.
Undeterred by a bloodied nose Barnes scored a unanimous 30-27 win against Salman Alizada of Azerbaijan in the light-flyweight semis. Barnes now faces his fellow Olympic bronze medallist David Ayrapetyan of Russia in tomorrow’s gold medal showdown.
Nevin will face Mykola Butsenko of Ukraine when he takes the final step on his quest tomorrow. After taking early control in today’s semi-final, the Irishman had to deal with game response from Nikitin in the second round. Nevin led by two rounds heading into last and though Nikitin was undeterred and continued to rally in the final three minutes, the Russian could not stop a 29-28 defeat.
It took the performance of a lifetime from Quigley to beat reigning world champion and top middleweight seed Ievgen Khytrov of Ukraine. The Donegal boxer scored an impressive 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 win to cement his place as one of the division’s top contenders.
