Three Opening Day Strandja Wins
A tough opening day for Team Ireland at the 77th Strandja Memorial Tournament, but three key wins picked up along the way.
A statement win for 70kg Terry McEntee, who took on Ahmet Pekel of Turkey. Terry battled back from a 4-1 1st round score against him, to claim the second unanimously and then the bout. Judges scored the contest 30:27; 29:28; 29:28; 29:28; 29:28. He is back on action on Thursday, contesting his Last 16 bout against Kaian Oliveira Reis, who was the UD winner today over Romana’s Daniel Adrian Griogorie
77th Strandja debut win for 70kg Jon McConnell. Jon took on Italy’s Gianluigi Malanga and came away with the 4-1 split decision win on a scoreline of 30:27; 29:28, 29:28; 28:29; 30:27. . He boxes his Last 16 bout against Kazakhstan’s Mukhammedsabyr Uulu Bazarbay on Thursday. An assured opening performance by 80kg Josh Olaniyan – who was the 5-0 winner over Allahverdiyev Murad of Azerbaijan in their Last 32 contest. The final scores: 28: 29; 28:29; 27:30; 27:30; 27:30. Josh is back in action in Wednesday’s Evening Session, contesting his Last 16 bout against Dimeji Shittu of England.
Not to be for Louis Rooney in the first contest of the opening day. He contested strongly against strongly an agile and robust opponent: Bilhalhabashi Nazarov of Azerbaijan in a 50kg Last 16 bout.
The 4-1 decision went to the Azerbaijan boxer on a scoreline of 30:27; 30:27, 28:29, 29:28; 30:27. Not to be today, either, for Patsy Joyce. He contested a tricky, high-tempo Strandja Last 32 bout against Kazakhstan’s Timur Kabdeshov, and the 5-0 decision went to his opponent. 30:27; 29:28, 30:27; 30:27; 30:27.
A brave and battling performance by Adam Hession. The Monivea BC boxer took on Armenia’s Artur Bazeyan in a 60kg Last 32 encounter, and the 4-1 decision went to his opponent. Judges scored the bout 28:29, 29:28; 28:29; 27:30; 27:30 while Jude Gallagher exits Strandja on the narrowest of margins, a dreaded 3-2 split. The Tyrone man contested strongly against Mongolia’s Buyandalai Bayarkhuu in a tight, physical bout but it wasn’t to be on this occasion. Judges scored the bout 29:28; 28:29; 29:28, 28:29; 28:29. And not to be for 80kg Kelyn Cassidy in Sofia. He contested his Last 32 bout against Brazil’s Wanderley De Souza Pereira. The referee stopped the contest within the first minute of the second round. At the declaration, the win was described as a KO for the Brazilian boxer.
In all, 209 men and 129 women are contesting the tournament, Europe’s oldest multi-nations competition. Team Ireland is comprised of 2025 World bronze medalists Patsy Joyce (55kg), Olympian Grainne Walsh (65kg), double Olympian Michaela Walsh (57kg) and Paris Olympians Daina Moorehouse (50kg), Jennifer Lehane (54kg), Jude Gallagher (60kg), Dean Clancy (65kg) and Jack Marley (90kg). Also named European medalists Louis Rooney (50kg), Caitlin Fryers (51kg), Niamh Fay (57kg) and Evelyn Igharo (70kg). The team includes boxers from clubs in 9 counties: Antrim (4), Dublin (8), Galway (1), Leitrim (1), Louth (1), Tyrone (1), Waterford (1), Westmeath (2) and Wicklow (1).
