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MEDAL ALERT: Joe Ward wins another bronze for Ireland at European Championships

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Joe Ward made it a hat-trick of bronze medals for Ireland today at the European Championships in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Ward took on young Scotsman Sean Lazzerini in the light heavyweight quarter finals and scored a dominant unanimous decision win.

Lazzerini was an outstanding underage boxer, winning Commonwealth Youth gold and European Youth silver in 2015, but was no match for the Rio Olympian.

The Glasgow teen tried to start aggressively and stamp his authority on the bout, but Ward quickly took control, landing one-twos and bloodying the nose of Lazzerini.

Ward resumed control in the second, with the Moate southpaw moving well and looking comfortable.

It was more of the same in the third, as Big Joe eased his way to a guaranteed bronze.

The scorecards read widely in favour of Ward who won with tallies of 30:27 x2, 30:26, 30:25, and 30:24.

Ward will be in semi final action on Friday against an opponent to be confirmed shortly.

Previously a two-time gold medalist at the Championships, Ward breaks another Irish record as he becomes the first Irishman to win three European Championships medals. Katie Taylor, of course, has won six European medals, all gold.

Earlier today Kurt Walker and Brendan Irvine guaranteed themselves bronzes, while Sean McComb was very unfortunate to lose in the light welterweight quarters.

European Elite Men’s Championships Kharkiv, Ukraine June 14th/25th
June 16th
(Last 32)
64kg Sean McComb (Ireland) beat Erik Agateljan (Czech Republic) 5-0

June 17th:
Last 32
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat SeverianeChildaze (Georgia) 5-0
69kg Steven Donnelly (Ireland) lost to Sergei Sobylinski (Russia) 0-5

June 18th
Last 32
60kg Pat Mongan (Ireland) lost to Artur Bril (Germany) 0-5
75kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) beat Bartosz Golebiewski (Poland) 3-2

June 19th
Last 16
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) beat Bathuhan Citfci (Turkey) 5-0
60kg Sean McComb (Ireland) beat Vitaly Dunaystev (Russia) 3-2
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) lost to Viktor Vykhryst (Ukraine) TKO2

June 20th
Last 16
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Tayfur Aliyev (Azerbaijan) 4-1
75kg Emmet Brennan (Ireland) lost to Kamran Shakhsuvarly (Azerbaijan) 0-5
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) beat Matus Strnisko (Slovakia) 5-0
91kg Darren O’Neill (Ireland) lost to Ramazazaqn Musilimov (Ukraine) 1-4

June 21st
Q/Finals
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) beat Gabriel Escobar (Spain) 5-0
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Raffaele Di Serio (Italy) 3-1
64kg Sean McComb (Ireland) lost to Luke McCormack (England) 2-3
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) beat Sean Lazzerini (Scotland) 5-0

Irish squad
52kg – Flyweight – Brendan Irvine (St Pauls) BRONZE, at least
56kg – Bantamweight – Kurt Walker (Canal) BRONZE, at least
60kg – Lightweight – Patrick Mongan (Olympic)
64kg – Light-welter – Sean McComb (Holy Trinity)
69kg – Welterweight – Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
75kg – Middleweight – Emmett Brennan (Glasnevin)
81kg – Light-heavy – Joe Ward (Moate) BRONZE, at least
91kg – Heavyweight – Darren O’Neill (Paulstown)
91+kg – Super-heavy – Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)

High-Performance Director/Head of Delegation: Bernard Dunne
Head Coach: Zaur Antia
Coaches: Dmitry Dimitruc, Jimmy Payne, Eoin Pluck
Physio: Seamus Caffrey
Doctor: Jim Clover
Strength & Conditioning: John Cleary
Performance Analysis: Alan Swanton

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)

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Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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