CALLUM WALSH FROM Cork is the new European Junior lightweight champion after beating home favourite Stilyan Hristov via a unanimous decision in Albena, Bulgaria.
From his southpaw stance, the Riverstown fighter opened with a couple of stiff straight left hands before his opponent drew the first significant roar from the home crowd with a thudding right in response. It was the Irish champion who enjoyed the better of the frantic early proceedings, however – though he did hit the canvas at the tail-end of the first only for it to be ruled a slip by the referee.
The second was, frankly, a crazy affair, as Walsh teed off from distance and the oncoming, shorter Hristov gave as good as he received. Walsh, fighting out of the blue corner, would wind up on the deck once more about a minute in, but this time had conspicuously been wrestled to the floor by his rugged opponent, whose supporters’ chants were interrupted by the odd chant of ‘Ireland! Ireland!’
A beautifully timed counter-right/left hook combination at centre-ring put Hristov on the back foot briefly, but after another intervention by the referee, the Bulgarian landed a peach of his own. It was met almost instantaneously by another right hand by Walsh, who certainly edged the middle round.
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The third and final round was, for the most part, a mess, but Walsh – whose work was the classier throughout – finished superbly, jolting Hristov’s head backwards with a straight left hand, then again during the phonebooth war which broke out in the final 10 seconds.
The final bell was notably greeted with a rendition of ‘Olé Olé’ by Irish onlookers as well as rapturous applause all around.
It was the man fighting out of Glanmire’s Riverstown Boxing Club who would be crowned the winner, a deserved decision which naturally caused uproar as the Bulgarian was defeated.
In the space of two months, 16-year-old Walsh – in his second year at Junior – has won Irish and European titles.
Earlier this afternoon, his team-mate Sean Clancy of Sligo took silver in the flyweight division, dropping a close split-decision to Russia’s Boris Kariban.
Good day out at the European Junior Boxing Championships today in Bulgaria. Callum Walsh winning Gold and Dean Clancy Silver #TeamIreland 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/yvyoDNCQXt
The victorious Walsh had received a message of support from his fellow Corkonian, Munster captain Peter O’Mahony, ahead of his semi-final victory over Sino Sabivov of Russia yesterday.
Great shout out from Munster & Lions Captain Peter O'Mahony for #Irish Boxer Callum Walsh in his #European semi final tomorrow v Russia 👍 pic.twitter.com/RTEZp33PpN
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Cork's Callum Walsh stuns home favourite to win gold at European Junior Championships
CALLUM WALSH FROM Cork is the new European Junior lightweight champion after beating home favourite Stilyan Hristov via a unanimous decision in Albena, Bulgaria.
From his southpaw stance, the Riverstown fighter opened with a couple of stiff straight left hands before his opponent drew the first significant roar from the home crowd with a thudding right in response. It was the Irish champion who enjoyed the better of the frantic early proceedings, however – though he did hit the canvas at the tail-end of the first only for it to be ruled a slip by the referee.
The second was, frankly, a crazy affair, as Walsh teed off from distance and the oncoming, shorter Hristov gave as good as he received. Walsh, fighting out of the blue corner, would wind up on the deck once more about a minute in, but this time had conspicuously been wrestled to the floor by his rugged opponent, whose supporters’ chants were interrupted by the odd chant of ‘Ireland! Ireland!’
A beautifully timed counter-right/left hook combination at centre-ring put Hristov on the back foot briefly, but after another intervention by the referee, the Bulgarian landed a peach of his own. It was met almost instantaneously by another right hand by Walsh, who certainly edged the middle round.
The third and final round was, for the most part, a mess, but Walsh – whose work was the classier throughout – finished superbly, jolting Hristov’s head backwards with a straight left hand, then again during the phonebooth war which broke out in the final 10 seconds.
The final bell was notably greeted with a rendition of ‘Olé Olé’ by Irish onlookers as well as rapturous applause all around.
It was the man fighting out of Glanmire’s Riverstown Boxing Club who would be crowned the winner, a deserved decision which naturally caused uproar as the Bulgarian was defeated.
In the space of two months, 16-year-old Walsh – in his second year at Junior – has won Irish and European titles.
Earlier this afternoon, his team-mate Sean Clancy of Sligo took silver in the flyweight division, dropping a close split-decision to Russia’s Boris Kariban.
The victorious Walsh had received a message of support from his fellow Corkonian, Munster captain Peter O’Mahony, ahead of his semi-final victory over Sino Sabivov of Russia yesterday.
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‘Honest to God, and I really mean this when I say it, God help the next fella I’m in the ring with’
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Boxing Callum Walsh Irish Boxing Rebel Medal Riverstown BC