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Medal Alert – Teen heavyweight Jack Marley in the European medals

It took Jack Marley just two senior fights to secure his first senior medal.

The impressive young heavyweight ensure European Under-22 Championships bronze [at least] with victory in Italy this evening.

The Monkstown BC man followed up his explosive senior debut with a calm, assured and calculated display to become a European medalist.

The reigning Irish heavyweight under-18 National Champion was brought the distance this time out but in truth won just as comfortably as his round of 16 victory, winning every round on every judges scorecard to progress to the semi finals.

The victory over tournament #4 seed Andrei Zaplitni means Ireland secured three wins from four in the quarterfinal stage. Marley joins Dean Clancy and Adam Hession in the final four and on the podium.

Marley employed a solid and varied jab throughout the first. It was calm and patient from a fighter who enjoyed an explosive debut. The backhand came into play in the final minute and some big right hands began to land. After three minutes the judges preferred the work of the Dub and he won the round on every scorecard available.

The teen added a check left hook to a good jab in the second. He also worked the body well and appeared to hurt the Moldovan with a left to the gut late on in the stanza. It was a left-hand heavy round, suggesting the 91kg may have hurt his right paw. Although it seems the tournament #5 seed didn’t need his backhand to impress, winning the round on all the judge’s scorecards again, with one scoring it 10-8 in his favour.

Zaplitni needed a knockout to secure the win but at times in the last it looked like he would be happy just to see the final bell. Again the left hook downstairs threatened to send the Moldovan to the canvas and any attempt to rally was dampened by the pressure and presence of the emerging Ireland talent.

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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