Marley and Igharo Move to Within Touching Distance of European Elite Medal
Jack Marley and Evelyn Igharo moved to within touching distance of a European Championships medal today.
The Team Ireland boxers join Daina Moorehouse, Lisa O’Rourke, Aoife O’Rourke and Jon McConnell in the quarter finals of the presitgious contest with wins in Sofia on Sunday.
Jack Marley is through to the medal stages having won his 90kg Last 16 contest against Aryan Panah Saed of the World Boxing Refugee Team Judges scored the bout: 29:26; 27:28; 27:28, 27:28; 29:28 The Monkstown fighter boxes for a medal in Tuesday’s Afternoon Session against Georgia’s Georgii Kushitashvli, a 2022 European and 2023 World medalist.
Speaking to Boxing Ireland’s Grainne Walsh at ringside, the Dubliner said “My opponent was short, stocky, he was like a bull. He didn’t stop – whether that was with punches or with his head. It was a bit like trying to be in a mosh pit for three rounds but I really enjoyed it, getting my campaign underway. The second you get frustrated….If we’re in a clinch, I’ll just say what it is to the ref ‘elbow’ or ‘head’. If he doesn’t do something about it, I move on and forget about it,” he said before looking forward.
“I’m really look forward to it (the next bout), and looking forward to enjoying tonight to relax, look back on my performance take the positives away and work on the negatives. Yeah, really happy.’
Evelyn Igharo is also through to the quarter finals. She won her 70kg Last 16 contest against Belarusian, Aryna Danilchyk 4-1, leveraging her reach and ringcraft to advantage and forcing standing counts in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Judges scored the bout: 30:26; 30:27; 30:27; 30:27; 29:26. Igharo boxes for a medal in Tuesday’s Afternoon Session against England’s Chantelle Reid. Reid, a Paris Olympian, was a bronze medalist at the 2025 World Boxing Championships, and won silver at the weight at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Speaking after she said “First one out of the way, I feel great. A bit rusty, I’ve waited four days to box so I am excited to get the first one out of the way. I’ve had a hard year, coming back competitively, so over the moon with a first win.”
A tight, thrilling and highly technical Men’s 65kg Last 16 contest, but not be for Team Ireland’s Dean Clancy. The Sligo Olympian contested against France’s Hugo Grau – a 3-0 pro boxer, World Boxing Cup China champion, Mediterranean Games bronze medalist. The 5-0 decision went to Grau on a scoreline of 29:28; 29:28; 29:28; 30:27; 30:27.
Not to be for Paris Olympian Jennifer Lehane in her 54kg Last 16 contest. She put in a battling performance in a tough, tight contest against fellow Paris Olympian, Wassila Lkhadiri. The 4-1 decision went to Lkhadiri on a scoreline of 29:28; 30:27, 29:28; 28:29; 29: 28.
A valiant performance by Team Ireland’s Cliona D’Arcy, but not to be. She boxed her 80+kg Quarter Final against double Olympian and 2014 Youth Olympian, Poland’s Elżbieta Wójcik. The 5-0 decision went to Wójcik. Judges scored the bout 30:27; 30: 25; 30: 26; 30:26; 30:25.
