Brendan Irvine beaten at World Championships by impressive Korean

Brendan Irvine crashed out of the World Championships today in Germany.

Fighting in the flyweight last 16, Irvine was beaten by hugely impressive South Korean southpaw Kim Inkyu.

The recent Asian silver medalist possessed an unorthodox and accurate style, and floored Irvine in the final round en-route to a unanimous decision win.

#6 seed Irvine had received a bye into the Last 16, while Inkyu had scored a win over Kazakh Azamat Issakulov

Therefor a perhaps sharper Kim started the quicker, landing big clean shots with his awkward, long style. Irvine would be sent staggering down but it was ruled a slip. The Antrim man rallied well in the second hand of the stanza, but it was Kim who finished the stronger.

The firefight continued into the second with both landing big shots, with the greater volume initially coming from the Far East fighter before a good final thirty from Irvine.

Needing a massive final round, Irvine started extremely strongly, and was well on top in the first half. Kim weathered the storm and then delivered a hammer blow, catching Irvine perfectly with a right hand as he tried to get off the ropes and dumping the Irishman on the canvas. Irvine would then do well to see out the round.

Going to the cards Kim would be awarded the bout on all five scorecards (30-27 x4, 29-27) and will now face Indian Kavinder Bisht in the quarter finals tomorrow

Ireland’s last remaining boxer, Joe Ward, is in action later tonight