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Farcical knockout caps disappointing day for Irish at European Youth Championships

Team captain Brett McGinty produced a big performance yesterday on Day 3 of the European Youth Championships, but there were exits for the other three Irish boxers involed, including one mind-boggling stoppage loss.

Welterweight McGinty took on Hungary’s Laszio Kozak in Anapa, Russia, and the Derry youngster’s higher work-rate, relentless pursuit of his opponent and cleaner shots, particularly after he used his double jab as a triggering mechanism, deservedly earned him a unanimous decision.

Limerick light welter Jason Harty and Offaly light heavy Brian Kennedy bowed out, falling to Georgia’s Iskekhan Madiev and Wales’ Sammy Lee.

The story of the day however came in the heavyweight division where Ennis’s Martin Jim Mongan was stopped in the first round for no particular reason at all. Mongan took a standing count off a fairly innocuous-looking uppercut from Dzmitru Sinkin in the first round, and after he re-engaged with the Belarusian – with Mongan landing most of the shots in a brief exchange – the ref bizarrely gave the Irish champion another count and stopped the contest, leaving Mongan furious.

Watch Martin Mongan’s baffling knockout loss here (from 59minutes):

Watch Brett McGinty’s brilliant win here (from 1hour 39minutes)

Watch Jason Harty’s loss here (first fight):

Watch Brian Kennedy’s loss here (from 28minutes):

Brett McGinty, Terry McEntee, Oliver McCarthy and Martin John Mongan fight to guarantee bronze medals today against Armenia, Hungary, Finland, and Russian respectively.

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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