KATIE TAYLOR HAS won Ireland’s first ever European Games gold medal following a unanimous decision win against France’s Estelle Mossely, with scores of 36-40, 36-40 and 27-39.
Its the 18th major international title of her career and cements her status as female boxing’s biggest star.
It was a close opening round in Baku with both fighters landing some solid shots. Taylor was awarded the round by two of the three judges and this ended up being the closest the Mossely came to winning a round.
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Taylor showed her class in the second, stepping it up a gear and landing a number of well executed combinations. Although Mossely never gave up, Taylor’s shots were landing much cleaner and she led by three points heading into the third round.
It became increasingly comfortable for Taylor from there. Mossely knew she had it all to do and did manage to land some powerful lefts at the beginning of the third round. But Taylor hit back with some solid left hooks of her own and got another 3-0 round from the judges.
This left Mossely essentially needing a knockout in the fourth and Taylor never gave her the opportunity, coasting through the final round for another great victory.
Taylor was a strong favourite going into the final, especially having negotiated the tricky task of a home favourite in the semi-finals. Taylor beat Azerbaijan’s World Championship silver medalist Yana Alekseevna by split decision after an incredibly close four-round battle.
Mossely, fighting in her first major lightweight final, looked excellent in her own semi-final against Germany’s Tasheena Bugar and told the media yesterday that she expected this to be the closest of all her meetings with Taylor.
Ireland’s five-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist beat Mossely in their previous two bouts in the 2013 European Union Championships final and again in the European Elite decider last year.
Michael O’Reilly has the opportunity to win a second gold medal for Ireland later today when he takes on another Azerbaijani, Xaybula Musalov, in the middleweight final. O’Reilly was given a bye into the final when his scheduled Russian opponent Maxim Koptyakov was forced to withdraw from the competition with an eye injury.
Katie Taylor has won Ireland's first European Games gold medal
KATIE TAYLOR HAS won Ireland’s first ever European Games gold medal following a unanimous decision win against France’s Estelle Mossely, with scores of 36-40, 36-40 and 27-39.
Its the 18th major international title of her career and cements her status as female boxing’s biggest star.
It was a close opening round in Baku with both fighters landing some solid shots. Taylor was awarded the round by two of the three judges and this ended up being the closest the Mossely came to winning a round.
Taylor showed her class in the second, stepping it up a gear and landing a number of well executed combinations. Although Mossely never gave up, Taylor’s shots were landing much cleaner and she led by three points heading into the third round.
It became increasingly comfortable for Taylor from there. Mossely knew she had it all to do and did manage to land some powerful lefts at the beginning of the third round. But Taylor hit back with some solid left hooks of her own and got another 3-0 round from the judges.
This left Mossely essentially needing a knockout in the fourth and Taylor never gave her the opportunity, coasting through the final round for another great victory.
Taylor was a strong favourite going into the final, especially having negotiated the tricky task of a home favourite in the semi-finals. Taylor beat Azerbaijan’s World Championship silver medalist Yana Alekseevna by split decision after an incredibly close four-round battle.
Mossely, fighting in her first major lightweight final, looked excellent in her own semi-final against Germany’s Tasheena Bugar and told the media yesterday that she expected this to be the closest of all her meetings with Taylor.
Ireland’s five-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist beat Mossely in their previous two bouts in the 2013 European Union Championships final and again in the European Elite decider last year.
Michael O’Reilly has the opportunity to win a second gold medal for Ireland later today when he takes on another Azerbaijani, Xaybula Musalov, in the middleweight final. O’Reilly was given a bye into the final when his scheduled Russian opponent Maxim Koptyakov was forced to withdraw from the competition with an eye injury.
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Baku 2015 Boxing Estelle Mossely Katie Taylor