MEDAL ALERT: Michael Nevin guarantees World Championships bronze

Middleweight Michael Nevin has guaranteed Ireland’s first medal at the World Youth Championships in Russia.

The Portlaoise star overcame talented Lithuanian Vytautas Balsys in the last eight in St Petersburg to make sure that he will be coming home with at least a bronze.

Balsys won European Youth silver earlier in the yea, but it was Nevin who provided the better work this morning

Following a close and technical opening round, Nevin stepped up the pace to compehensively take the second, before a final charge from the Baltic opponent.

Nevin was awarded the bout on a split decision.

The Laois boxer now faces a semi final on Friday where he will look to upgrade to at least a silver medal.

There was disappointment however for Bracken light heavyweight Christopher O’Reilly who was defeated in his semi final by Kazakh Bekzad Nurdauletov.