Back with a bang- Gabriel Dossen puts himself back in Olympic qualifier contention
Gabriel Dossen proved he is fighting fit and ready if called upon to make a charge for the Olympics with victory in Hungry today.
The Galway middleweight has been out of the ring for the last seven months after suffering a tear in his knee pre the first of two National Elite Championships last year, but returned after seven months out today.
Despite the injury the 20-year-old still fought in the first of the domestic blue ribbon contests and looked to have secured Olympic pole when in a bandaged knee he defeated defending champ Michael Nevin, new Sheer Sports pro Brett McGinty and now reigning light heavyweight champion Emmett Brennan to win the 81kg crown.
However the injury proved worse than first thought and Dossen has all but been out since.
July surgery meant he missed chances to impress at any of the EU Games, European Championships and a second National Elites, which allowed fellow young talent Michael Nevin to stake an Olympic claim.
However, just over a month out from the first of two Tokyo qualifying tournaments, which is set to take place in London, Dossen was back in the ring.
The Westerner defeated Norway’s Mindougas Gedminas in the last 16 of the Bosckai Memorial tournament this evening.
The decorated underage graduate would have always fancied his chances against Gedimina, but whilst the win isn’t massively significant the fact Dossen is back firing on all cylinders is.
His return gives the High Performance another selection dilemma – and the win affords Dossen another chance to impress.
🥊 RESULT 🥊
— IABA (@IABABOXING) February 4, 2020
Back in the ring, back with a win!
A classy performance from @Gabi_Dossen and he takes the victory v 🇳🇴 on his return to action.
He has now booked his place in the Quarter Finals !
Well done Gabriel! 🥊🇮🇪#IABA #RoadtoTokyo #TeamIreland #Bocskai pic.twitter.com/HvJiV3bKjX
Bosckai Memorial Debrecen, Hungary
February 3
Last 32
52kg Brendan Irvine (Ireland) lost to Mohammed Rajab (Botswana) 1-4
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) lost to Alexsandar Mraovic (Austria) RSC2
February 4
Last 16
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Ireland) beat Mindougas Gedminas (Norway)
Irish squad
52kg Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s)
75kg Gabriel Dossen (Olympic)
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Coaches: Eoin Pluck & Michael Mongan
Physio: David Cooke
