AmateurHeadline News

Bronze Bye and Controversial Call – World University Championships Update


It has been a dramatic few days for Ireland at the World University Championships in Elista, Russia.

Having had a medal confirmed before a punch was thrown and then winning their first fight, three losses followed – the last of which was extremely controversial – and Ireland now have one boxer remaining in tomorrow’s semi-finals.

Dundalk flyweight Ricky Nesbitt, light flyweight runner up at the last Senior Elites, received a bye to the flyweight semi-finals and will fight Taiwanese puncher Hong Chuan-Tsun – who also received a bye – for silver tomorrow.

This was followed by a win on Saturday in the last 16 for Monaghan lightweight Terry McEntee versus Narek Hovhannisyan of Armenia.

Things would take a turn on Sunday with bantamweight Sean Purcell and light welter Matthew McCole both being eliminated in the quarters.

European Youth bronze medallist McEntee was back in the ring yesterday and was very, very unlucky to be eliminated by Kyrgyzstan’s Min Uulu Siitbek.

A counter right hook to the side of the head from McEntee, a noted puncher, sent his Kyrgyz opponent down in the opener. The very busy Siitbek rebounded well in the second before going toe-to-toe with McEntee in the closer. The Asian started the third brightly with clean eye-catching shots but would run out of steam and held for the majority of the second half of the round.

McEntee greeted the final bell as if he had won but was shocked to learn that he lost a 4-0 decision on the cards, with one 28-28 drawn score and four 29-28s in favour of the Central Asian.

World University Championships
September 1st
Last 16
60kg Terry McEntee (Old School/DCU) beat Narek Hovhannisyan (Armenia) 5-0

September 2nd
Q/Finals
56kg Sean Purcell (Enniskerry/WIT) lost to Zhorzhik Marutyan (Armenia) 0-5
64kg Matthew McCole (Dungloe/LKIT) lost to Alisa Sharifov (Russia) 0-5

September 3rd
Q/Finals
60kg Terry McEntee (Old School/DCU) lost to Min Uulu Siitbek (Kyrgyzstan) 0-4

September 5th
S/Final
52KG Ricky Nesbitt (Holy Family Drogheda/DKIT) v Hong Chuan-Hsun (Taiwan)

Team Ireland
52KG Ricky Nesbitt (Holy Family Drogheda/DKIT) Bronze, at least
56KG Sean Purcell (Enniskerry/WIT)
60KG Terry McEntee (Old School/DCU)
64KG Matthew McCole (Dungloe/LyIT)

Team Manager: Paul Geoghegan
Coaches: Derek Ahern, Paddy Gallagher

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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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