MEDAL ALERT – More Euro success as Adam Hession banks bronze
Adam Hession produced the performance of his career to secure a place on the European Under-22 Championship podium this afternoon.
The Galway fighter dominated German Umar Bajwa to progress to the semi-finals of the continental competition and bank a bronze medal at the very least.
The 21-year-old showed he was adept in every boxing department with aggressive combination punching, winning him the first round 10-8 on two judges scorecards, before forcing his opponent into a standing eight count via some fleet-footed skillful boxing in the third.
The eye-catching performance and massive 30-26, 30-26, 30-27, 30-25,30-25 unanimous points win sees Hession join light welterweight Dean Clancy in the semi-finals – and also earned the bantamweight $2,000 in prize money.
Bajwa, who also has a defeat to Conor Quinn on his record, started the first round well, landing straight shots in the first minute. However, Hession found his range and started to score heavy with some beautiful and hurtful combinations. The last two minutes of the stanza were his as he mixed class and aggression to ensure he won the round across the board. in fact so dominant was he that he won 10-8 on two of judge’s scorecards.
🥉 MEDAL ALERT 🥉
— IABA (@IABABOXING) June 21, 2021
A super performance from @adamhession2 who controls the contest from start to finish and he wins via unanimous decision v 🇩🇪!
He advances to the Semi-Final & guarantees himself at least 🥉!
Congrats Adam!🥊🇮🇪#IABA #TeamIreland #U22Euros
The German marched forward in the second but the Galway fighter was content to walk him onto a number of counters. It wasn’t the dominance seen in round 1, in fact, it was a more competitive round and Hession was warned for hitting after the bell. However, it was a stanza he banked across the board to put one and a half feet into the semi-finals.
The talented young bantamweight showed his back foot prowess in the final stanza and forced his opponent to take a standing eight with a beautifully timed and executed right hand. The fighter who was bullish in the first was matador-like in the last and cruised over the line in style.
Hession will face Polish top seed Pawel Brach in the semis tomorrow.
There was no such joy for Kieran Molloy as he exited the tournament at the quarter final stage.
The EU Championships bronze medal winner lost out to the tournament favourite and #1 seed Akbar Harris of England.
The fight was Molloy’s third in the tournament and having defeated German Daniel Krotter and Eric Tudor of Romania he couldn’d make the final medal step.
There was plenty of industry and effort from both in the first round and neither looked a clear winner of the opening three minutes. The fleet-footed Harris did manage to steal it on the judges scorecard, leaving Molloy a lot to do.
A point deduction for dropping the head all but left the 22-year-old needing a knockout to secure victory before a cut over the eye resulted in things going from bad to worse.
Harris also won the round across the board meaning the Galway fighter was three points behind going into the final stanza.
To his credit, Molloy did push and try and force the issue in the final stanza but Harris’s style makes him the pefect fighter to defend a lead and see out a fight.
Ireland have one more medal bout today – Jack Marley fights in the evening session at 6:15pm.
European U/22 Championships Roseto degli Abruzzi, Italy
June 17
Last 32
63kg Dean Clancy (Ireland) beat Pete Novak (Czech Republic) 5-0
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Dan Krotter (Germany) 4-1
June 18
Last 32 and 16
52kg Sean Mari (Ireland) beat Hamza Mahmood (England) 4-1
51kg Niamh Earley (Ireland) lost to Romane Moulan (France) 1-4
63kg Dean Clancy (Ireland) beat Nenad Javanovic (Serbia) 5-0
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Ireland) lost to Moreno Fendero (France) 0-5
June 19
Last 16
52kg Sean Mari (Ireland) lost to Petre Cosmin (Romania) 0-5
56kg Adam Hession (Ireland) beat Gabor Virban (Hungary) 5-0
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Eric Tudor (Romania) 4-1
81kg Kane Tucker (Ireland) lost to Raphael Monny (France) W/O
91kg Jack Marley (Ireland) beat Dariusz Lasotta (Germany) RSC3
June 20th
Last 16
91kg+ Gytis Lisinskas (Ireland) lost to Vincenzo Fiaschetti (Italy) 1-4
Q/Final
60kg Ellie May-Gartland (Ireland) lost to Peige Richardson (England) 0-5
June 21st
Q/Finals
56kg Adam Hession Ireland) TBC
63kg Dean Clancy (Ireland) v TBC
69kg Kiern Molloy (Ireland) V TBC
91kg Jck Marley (Ireland) v TBC
Irish squad
51kg Niamh Earley (Ryston)
60kg Ellie May-Gartland (Clonmel)
52kg Sean Mari (Monkstown)
56kg Adam Hession (Monivea)
63kg Dean Clancy (Sean McDermott)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard)
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic)
81kg Kane Tucker (Emerald)
91kg Jack Marley (Monkstown
91kg+ Gytis Lisinskas (Celtic Eagles)
Team Manager: Tara Mari
Coaches: Eoin Pluck, Damain Kennedy, James Doyle
Physio: David Cooke
