Surprise selections in Men’s World Championship squad

There are some surprise inclusions in the Irish squad for the next installment of the World Championships.

Of the seven names selected to travel to Russia for a tournament, that now has no Olympic qualification influence, only one is a reigning National Elite Champion.

Light flyweight champion Regan Buckley secured his place on the plane after impressing in the European Games where he won bronze in June, but has entered at flyweight seeing as 49kgs is no longer an Olympic weight and is not being competed at at these championships.

The decision may leave reigning 52kg Irish champion Adam Hession somewhat upset and it has to be noted Brendan Irvine was picked at that weight for the European Games before he was forced out with injury.

Recent European Games gold medalist Kurt Walker will get the chance to add to his impressive medal collection as he has been selected at 57kg.

Elite runner-up Wayne Kelly of Portlaoise gets the chance to stake his claim at 63kgs ahead of champion James McGivern and Aidan Walsh travels at 69kg.

Galway’s Kieran Molloy traveled to Minsk as reigning National Elite 69kg champion and was deemed a genuine Tokyo medal hope in a weight class that has just lost Paddy Donovan to the pros, but the Belfast fighter has been handed the chance to impress at the Worlds.

Injury to Gabriel Dossen means Michael Nevin, another European Games medal winner, was always most likely first pick for 75kg.

Teenafer Kane Tucker is in at 81kg, beating the likes of reigning National champion Tomas O’Toole and the man he beat in the final Tommy Hyde to the slot recently dominated by Joe Ward. Tony Browne is said to be mix, but may have needed more time to drop down from heavy.

Kirill Afanasev goes at heavyweight in place of Browne while an injury to Dean Gardiner means the IABA and High Performance won’t send anyone at super heavy.

The squad for the tournament in Yektarengburg gloves off on September 7 is said to have been selected on the back of a three week training camp.

It’s unsure whether those going to the Worlds are in pole position to compete in next years Olympic qualifiers or whether or not the High Performance are running the rule over some prospects and testing them in elite competition.

The 2020 Elite championships were rumoured to be taking place at the end of this year ahead of Olympic qualifiers in London and Tokyo but this remains to be confirmed

This squad selection comes on the back of a decision to send just 4 boxers out of a possible 10 to the European Women’s Championships in Madrid next week.

The squad for the World Championships is as follows:

52kg – Regan Buckley – St Teresa’s
57kg – Kurt Walker – Canal
63kg – Wayne Kelly – Portlaoise
69kg – Aidan Walsh – Monkstown
75kg – Michael Nevin – Portlaoise
81kg – Kane Tucker – Emerald
91kg – Kiril Afanasev – Smithfield
+91kg – NO ENTRY