MEDAL ALERT – Shay O’Dowd Wins Epic World Youth Quarterfinal
Shay O’Dowd won one of the fights of the tournament to become a World Youth medal winner.
O’Dowd went to quarter final war with Georgian battler S. Kazaryan in Budva and came away with the spoils in the form of a bronze medal.
The Irish Neutral took the first round 4-1 but lost an all-action power punch-packed second, setting up a winner-takes-all all third.
The Swords BC two-time Irish champion ensured he was going to be the one to take it all and secured a World Youth medal via a third-round stoppage.
The victim of two second-round standing eights dished out two third-round counts to claim victory, a place in the Cruiserweight semi-finals and a bronze at the very least.
O’Dowd used his physical advantages as much as he could in the first round, looking to keep it sharp and long. However, he had to show his battling spirit on more than one occasion as Kazaryan tried to make it fight.
The Irish Neutral’s ability to mix skill with will was enough to win him the stanza 4-1.
It was bombs away in the second as both fighters landed and took huge shots. Kazaryan kept bulling forward and the pressure led to a standing eight midway through the stanza. However, the Sword’s man was up for the fight and dished out a standing eight of his own with a lovely left hook. Although his opponent landed big again to win the round.
The Dubliner did enough in the last minute to ensure momentum didn’t fully swing the way of the Georgian.
However, the scores were level on four of the cards going into the last, meaning it was all to play for across the final three minutes.
O’Dowd managed to find a distance he was more effective courtesy of his long jab in the third and began to knock some of the fight out of his ultra-aggressive foe.
Another left hook forced a count and put him on the road to the podium and he took the final step seconds later when a big right hand sent Kazaryan stumbling back to the corner. The referee had to step in again and this time waved the fight off.
O’Dowd will fight for silver later in the week.