Barnes books Rio 2016 ticket with WSB victory in Venezuela
Belfast Light Flyweight Paddy Barnes became the first Irish boxer to book his ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympics with a victory over Finol Rivas in Venezuela in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The two time Olympic medalist went out all guns blazing in the first and had Rivas down late in the round.
The Venezuelan went on his bike in the second and Barnes found it hard to pin him down but found his range again in the third and fourth winning both rounds.
In the final round both fighters went toe-to-toe but again the Belfast fighter came out on top in the duel landing the cleaner punches.
The judges scored the bout 49-45, 47-45, 49-45.
