Updated at 15.30

IRELAND’S  PADDY BARNES and Joe Ward are into the last eight of the AIBA World Elite Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Olympic bronze medallist Barnes ended his bout early with a left hook which resulted in a first round knockout against Kenya’s Simon Nzioki this afternoon.

Earlier, Light-heavyweight Ward, from Moate, Co Westmeath, had followed on from his win over Polish opponent Mateusz Tryc with a unanimous decision victory against Norbert Harcsa of Hungary.

Ward will meet Russian Nikita Ivanov, the opponent he defeated at the 2011 European Championships to win gold, in the quarter-finals tomorrow.

Ward is declared the winner. Credit: INPHO/Cathal Noonan

Belfast fighter Sean McComb wasn’t so lucky, meanwhile, and went out at the last-16 stage of the lightweight division — going down 29-28, 28-29, 27-30 to Azerbaijan’s Elvin Isayev.

McComb connects with Isayev. Credit: INPHO/Cathal Noonan

He was tough alright,” McComb told Kenny Egan. “He just kept coming on. I lost the first then came back and took the second but towards the end of the third I gave away a few shots and it cost me the fight.”

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