JOE Ward wants to secure an AIBA hat-trick of gold medals while he's still a teenager - but he has less than a week to do it. Ward and Jason Quigley are
guaranteed at least a bronze medal each at the 17th AIBA World Elite Men's Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
The Donegal and Westmeath duo beat Hungary's Zoltan Harsca and Russia's Nikita Ivanov in yesterday's quarter-finals to mark the first occasion that Irish boxing has won two medals at the same World Elite Championships.
But there was treble disappointment for Belfast boxing yesterday after London 2012 bronze medallists Paddy Barnes, Michael Conlan and Tommy McCarthy crashed out at the last eight stage.
For Ward, who celebrates his 20th birthday next Wednesday, an historic international AIBA World hat-trick of gold medals in three different weight and age classes is on the cards as a teen.
The current Irish champion claimed AIBA World Junior light-middleweight gold in 2009 and AIBA World Youth middleweight gold in 2010.
He's now aiming for AIBA World Elite light-heavyweight gold. Cuba's Julio De La Cruz-Peraza stands in the way of a place in Saturday's final when they meet tomorrow.
Ward beat Ivanov, the current European champion, yesterday. The Russian sustained a cut over his left eye after taking some heavy shots and was retired 2-27 into the first round.
Earlier, Jason Quigley dropped Hungary's Zoltan Harsca in the second en route to booking his ticket into the middleweight semi-final on a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Harsca hit the floor after being caught with a big overhand right and Quigley, the current European Elite champion, was on his way to his 31st successive victory.
"I caught him with a lovely right hand in the second round and he went down from it. I'm ready for anybody," said Quigley, who will meet Russia's Artem Chebotarev in the last-four.
Meanwhile, Paddy Barnes lost out to Uzbekistan's Jasurbek Latipov on a unanimous decision yesterday. Both boxer were docked a point after receiving pubic warnings for dropping their heads in the second round.
Barnes also sustained a cut on his forehead, probably after accidentally hitting his head off Latipov's knee in the first round of a contest which was marred by constant infringements, particularly by Latipov.
Barnes, who was aiming to become the only Irish boxer besides Katie Taylor and John Joe Nevin to medal at all the majors, was unavailable for comment after his defeat.
Conlan went out on a unanimous decision to Russia/s Nikita Nikitin in the bantamweight class and McCarthy was edged out on a split decision by Yamil Peralta of Argentina.
A comment saying "sign me up", which could be seen as an invitation to pro promoters, appeared on Conlan's Twitter account after his loss.
Today is a rest day at the championships. The semi-finals will be decided tomorrow and on Saturday.
No Irish male boxer has ever reached an AIBA World Elite final since the inaugural tournament was held in Havana in 1974.