Ballyhaunis BC middleweight Sean Conroy booked his ticket into the last-16 of the AIBA World Junior Championships in Kiev, Ukriane with a convincing win over Romania’s Marian Iou today.
But Martin Collins bowed out of the tournament after dropping a split decision to Turkish bantamweight Ahmet Micik at the Palace of Sports venue in the Ukrainian capital.
Conroy, operating from behind a high guard, held his composure in the face of an aggressive start from Iou to pick off some slick counters, two lefts rocking his opponent backwards in the opening frame.
Irish squad in Kiev
The Irish champion set up Iou with a body shot in the second, and when the Romanian dropped his guard, Conroy drove home a big right to the head to force a standing count.
Iou took another standing count off a right near the end of the round as Conroy continued to dominate en route to a unanimous decision and a last-16 clash with Germany’s Jonathan Fischbuch.
Collins was involved in a tight three-rounder with Micik. Both boxers had their moments in this encounter, but the judges leaned in favour of the Turk after the final bell.
“It was a 50/50 fight and it could have gone either way, said Irish coach Billy McClean. “It was a solid performance from Martin. Sean was superb. He boxed extremely well and we’re very pleased with the win.”
James Cleary, Lewis Crocker and Kevin Kehoe will be in action tomorrow.
AIBA World Junior Championships (Last 32 unless stated)
September 8th
54kg Martin Collins (Ireland) lost to Ahmet Micik (Turkey) 1-2
75kg Sean Conroy (Ireland) beat Marian Iou (Romania) 3-0
September 9th
57kg James Cleary (Ireland) v Dalton Smith (England)
66kg Lewis Crocker (Ireland) v Andreas Kokkinos (Cyprus)
70kg Kevin Kehoe (Ireland) v Jonathan Zumbe (Germany)
September 10th
46kg Luke O’Shea (Ireland) v Israel Picazo (Mexico) (last 16)
52kg Ryan Green (Ireland) v Yousef Saeed (Kuwait)
60kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) v Tamas Molnar (Hungary)
75kg Sean Conroy (Ireland) v Jonathan Fischbuch (Germany) (last 16)
81kg+ Cormack Long (Ireland) v Rustan Ibraikhaliev (Russia)
September 11th
48kg Willie Donoghue (Ireland) v Oybek Juraev (Uzbekistan) or Mikhael Ostroumov (Israel)
63kg John Joyce (Ireland) v Yoelvis Diaz (Cuba)
Irish squad
46kg Luke O’Shea (Ballincollig)
48kg Willie O’Donoghue (St Michael’s Athy)
52kg Ryan Green (Oakleaf)
54kg Martin Collins (St Anne’s)
57kg James Cleary (Olympic)
60kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard)
63kg John Joyce (St Michael’s Athy)
66kg Lewis Crocker (Holy Trinity)
70kg Kevin Kehoe (Marble City)
75kg Sean Conroy (Ballyhaunis)
80kg+ Cormac Long (Rathkeale)
Team manager Jim Walsh
Coaches Billy McClean and Tom Hayes
Physio Eoin Naughton
Munster Boxing 