Aidan Walsh faces fellow Tokyo Olympian in Qualifiers today
Aidan Walsh will fight a fellow Tokyo Olympian for a place in the last 16 of the first Olympic Qualifier in Italy today.
The Olympic medal bronze medalist ended a year out of the sport impressively on Wednesday, stopping United Arab Emirates boxer Husain Alkandari within a round.
He is back out on Friday looking to secure a second win in the tournament and move to within two wins of an Olympic spot.
Standing between ‘The Belfast Matador’ and a place in the last 16 is Wanderson de Oliveira, a Brazilian who excited the Tokyo Games at the quarter-final stage to eventual light welterweight gold medal winner Andy Cruz.
Walsh is the only Irish figher through the ropes today , he competes in bout, Bout 11 in Ring A, the fight is expected to take place at around 1pm, Irish time.
1st Olympic World Qualifier Team:
50kg Daina Moorehouse, Enniskerry BC, Wicklow
54kg Jennifer Lehane, DCU Boxing Club, Dublin
66kg Grainne Walsh, St. Mary’s BC, Tallaght, Dublin
51kg Sean Mari, Monkstown BC, Dublin
57kg Jude Gallagher, Two Castles ABC, Tyrone
71kg Aidan Walsh, Holy Family GG BC, Belfast
80kg Kelyn Cassidy, Saviours Crystal, Waterford
92+kg Martin McDonagh, Crumlin BC, Dublin