Aidan Walsh made light work of Kenya’s Mogunde Maina, as he marched into the round of 32 of the World Olympic boxing qualifiers in Thailand on Sunday.
Walsh’s comfortable 5-0 victory means he will face either Youcef Islam Yaiche of Algeria or Italian Salvatore Cavallaro next up.
With a huge field of 70 boxers entering the men’s 71kg division, only five slots are available for this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
Thailand does represent another opportunity for The Belfast man however, who was defeated in a second-round Olympic qualification clash against a fellow Olympian - Brazilian Wanderson de Oliveira - back in March.
Walsh will be more than aware that the event is very much a case of last-chance saloon, as he looks to add to his bronze medal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics this summer.
2020 gold medallist Kellie Harrington is already qualified, alongside five other Irish boxers in the shape of Michaela Walsh, Aoife O’Rourke, Jude Gallagher, Dean Clancy and Jack Marley.
On Friday, Offaly’s Gráinne Walsh had a routine victory over Sun Hyo Hwang of South Korea. The 5-0 win ensured she will be in the last-16, with only a last-four slot enough to secure one of four places in Paris.
A hugely controversial defeat to Poland’s Agneta Rygielska in Italy a few months ago looked rather costly for Walsh, but she showed little sign of nerves en route to a 5-0 victory.
The 28-year-old was selected by Ireland ahead of Roscommon’s Lisa O’Rourke and Amy Broadhurst - who has since elected to represent Great Britain. O’Rourke cannot qualify for the Games as a result.
Should Broadhurst qualify, there is nothing to prevent a potential clash against Kellie Harrington on the grandest stage in the French capital. Broadhurst fights at 8am on Monday morning, facing off against Sheila Martinez of Spain.
Kelyn Cassidy bettered his opponent - German Delil Dadaev - in an altogether more evenly contested affair in Bangkok.
As both fighters traded blows, the result was in doubt right until the last, with both fighters given standing counts in the third round.
The Waterford man did enough to secure the decision however, a justifiable sense of vengeance perhaps having come out the wrong side of a decision in Busto a few months ago.
Next up for Cassidy is Abhimany Loura of India in the men’s 80kg, with just three slots up for grabs on that front.
In the 51kg division, Dubliner Sean Mari recorded another split decision win for Ireland, as he got the benefit of the doubt against Faheem Muhammed in his opener.
The Monkstown BC fighter will be in action again on Thursday, and he will face off against either India’s Abhimany Loura or Bulgarian opponent Kristiyan Nikolov.
Jennifer Lehane makes her third and final attempt at reaching Paris, with Puerto Rico’s Angelyris Lopez standing between the Mayo woman and a place in the last 16 on Tuesday as she bids to land one of the four quota places.
Super-heavy Martin McDonagh has received a bye through to the last 32 in Bangkok, where he will face Vietnam’s Doan Ngoc Minh Hieu on Wednesday. Cuba’s Fernando Arzola or Mexican Javier Cruz await the winner on Saturday, June 1, with a semi-final place required for qualification.
The last of the Irish contingent to step between the ropes will be light-fly Daina Moorehouse when she takes on Armenia’s Anush Grigoryan in the last 32 on Friday, May 31.
The event is run on a qualification basis, meaning the quotas will be met without the need for semi-finals or finals to actually take place. There will also be no medals handed out, as all roads lead to Paris and the commencement of the Games on 26 July.