RIO Olympian Brendan Irvine is one win away from retaining his Irish Elite flyweight belt after claiming victory over TJ Waite in what he described as a “proper fight” at Dublin’s National Stadium.
The European Games finalist posted a unanimous decision over Waite, who be beat in the 2015 final, in an all-Belfast flyweight semi-final at the home of Irish boxing.
The industrious Waite asked a few questions of the AIBA World No. 9 ranked light-fly who has moved up a weight, but the defending champion, boxing fluently off the front and back foot, was full value for his victory.
“I’m very happy with the win,'' said Irvine.
“You obviously had that wee bit of doubt in your head getting into the ring, especially with someone you fought last time because they know the way you fight.
“But the tactics and the game plan we worked on paid off. I mastered the game plan and I’m happy with that. It was completely different than the last time.
“We didn’t do too much in that actual fight. Very cagey, it was. But this year it was a proper fight, two boxers going at it,” added Irvine, who had Ralph McKay and Frankie McCourt working his corner.
Meanwhile, European Elite and European Games medallist Dean Walsh, who is aiming for his fourth successive belt, and Sean McComb and Kurt Walker, George Bates and Emma Agnew also had their hands raised in triumph.
Kristina O’Hara beat Carol Coughlan in the first Irish women’s Elite bout over three, three-minute rounds.
Women had previously fought over two, two-minute rounds but now box three, three-minute rounds, the same duration as men.
In the women’s feather class, defending champion Dervla Duffy and Moira McElligott will meet in the 57kg final after 4-1 split and 5-0 unanimous decisions over Tiegan Russell and Amanda Coughlan.
A second session of semi-finals will be decided on Saturday at the Stadium to complete next Friday’s finals line-up at IABA headquarters.
Shauna O’Keefe meets Amy Broadhurst in the women’s lightweight class. The winner will face World Elite finalist Kellie Harrington for the belt vacated by Katie Taylor who has turned professional.
Harrington, who is ranked No.2 in the World at light-welter, the weight she claimed World silver at, has dropped down to lightweight which is one of the three Olympic weights for women. The Dubliner received a bye into the 60kg final.
National Elite Championships National Stadium Dublin
Semi-finals
48kg K O’Hara (St John Bosco) beat C Coughlan (Monkstown D) 5-0
49kg B Dobbins (St Josephs) beat C Jordan (St Aidans) 3-2
52kg B Irvine (St Pauls) beat TJ Waite (Ormeau Road) 5-0
57kg D Duffy (Mulhuddart) beat T Russell (Fr Horgans) 4-1
57kg M McElligott (St Michaels Athy) beat A Coughlan (Paulstown) 5-0
56kg K Walker (Canal) beat Evan Metcalfe (Crumlin) 5-0
60kg G Bates (St Marys) beat G McKenna (Old School) 5-0
64kg E Agnew (Dealgan) beat S Greene (St Brigids) 5-0
64kg S McComb (Holy Trinity) beat Patrick Linehan (St Marys) 5-0
69kg D Walsh (St Ibars) beat T Bradley (Sacred Heart) 5-0
75kg E Brennan (Glasnevin) beat F Quinn (Camlough) 3-2
81kg J Ward (Moate) beat M Frayne (St Marys) 4-0
91kg D O’Neill (Paulstown) beat John Joe McDonagh (Crumlin) 5-0
91+kg M Keenan (Rathkeale) beat D Sullivan (Emerald) 3-2
