Impressive Walsh sets up a World Championship clash with England’s McCormack
Aidan Walsh ensured Ireland returned to winning World Championships ways this afternoon.
The Antrim fighter put in an impressive performance to progress to the last 32 of the competition a day after St Theresa’s Regan Buckley and Portlaoise BC’s Wayne Kelly both lost via split decisions at the same stage.
The brother of recent European Games silver medal winner Micheala Walsh came out on the right side of the split decision in Ekaterinburg, Russia ,
Walsh beat Israel’s Miroslav Kapuler-Chishenko on a 4-1 split decision to register victory in his World Elite’s debut. The Belfast fighter the winner by a 30-26,30-27,30-27,30-27 for Walsh and 29-29 against score card.
Walsh held his composure in the face of the constant maurading and aggression of the Israeli southpaw to pick off clean shots in all three rounds.
The welterweight hopeful soaked up a solid left in the second frame, but besides that incident, it was an impressive World Elite debut for the Monkstown BC man.
The win sets up a clash with England’s Pat McCormack. The Sunderland fighter, the No. 2 seed in the 69kg limit, received a bye into the last 32.
Laois middleweight Michael Nevin, who has recorded one win in Ekaterinburg so far, is in against Lithuania’s Vytautas Balsys tomorrow for a place in the last 16.
Tournament No. 6 seed Kurt Walker and Dublin’s Kiril Afanasev are between the ropes on Sunday in Ekaterinburg in the feather and heavyweight classes.
2019 World Elite Men’s Championships Ekaterinburg, Russia
September 13
Last 64
69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) beat Miroslav Kapuler-Chishenko (Israel) 4-1
September 14
Last 32
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) v Vytautas Balsys (Lithuania)
September 15
Last 32
57kg Kurt Walker v David Avila (Columbia)
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) v Radoslav Panaleev (Bulgaria)
September 16
Last 32
69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) v Pat McCormack (England)
Results
September 13
Last 64
69kg Aidan Walsh (Ireland) beat Miroslav Kapuler – Chishenko (Israel) 4-1
September 12
Last 64
52kg Regan Buckley (Ireland) lost to Aldoms Suquor (Indonesia) 2-3
63kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) lost to Matthew Alexander (Trinidad & Tobago) 2-3
September 10
Last 64
81kg Kane Tucker (Ireland) lost to Erkin Adylbek (Kyrgyzstan) 0-5
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Austin Aokuso (Australia) 5-0
September 9
Last 64
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) beat Andre1 Vreme (Moldova) 5-0
Irish squad
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)
High-Performnce Director: Bernard Dunne
Head coach: Zaur Antia
Coaches: John Conlan and Eoin Pluck