MEDAL ALERT – Michael Nevin guarantees bronze at European Games
Michael Nevin has guaranteed a brilliant bronze medal at the European Games in Minsk this evening.
The Portlaoise middleweight defeated Turkey’s Serhat Guler in their quarter-final in Belarus, emerging victorious on a 4-1 split decision.
Nevin kicked off his campaign last week with a win over Britain’s Mark Dickinson before a sensational upset of Azerbaijan’s Olympic and World bronze – and European Championships and Games silver – medallist Kamran Shakhsuvarly.
Guler, who received a bye to the Last 16, defeated Frenchman Victor Yoka and has World Series of Boxing experience but was making his Elite major tournament debut here.
The Turk would push, especially in the final round, but Nevin was just too smart and cultured, sweeping the first two rounds with four judges and claiming the win.
It’s a fantastic first major medal at Elite level for the triple European underage champion and World Youth bronze winner.
Nevin was left heartbroken last year at the EUs when a nasty cut hampered his chances and saw him eliminated at this stage and he would then lose to Gabriel Dossen in the quarters of the Irish Seniors in February.
However, a niggle to Dossen has handed Nevin his chance here and he has taken it with both gloves to add to a brilliant night for Irish boxing.
Less than an hour previous, Bray light flyweight Regan Buckley guaranteed a glorious bronze, Ireland’s first medal of the tournament, with a 4-1 win over Spaniard Martin Molina.
Both will now look to upgrade to silver in the semi-finals on Thursday.
Irish squad
49kg Regan Buckley (St Teresa’s) (Bronze, at least)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal)
57kg Michaela Walsh (Monsktown A)
60kg Kelly Harrington (St Mary’s)
64kg James McGivern (St George’s)
69kg Gráinne Walsh (Spartacus)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard)
75kg Aoife O’Rourke (Castlerea)
75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise) (Bronze, at least)
91kg Tony Browne (St Michael’s Dublin)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Coaches: Zaur Antia, John Conlan, Dmitry Dimitruk
