Bulldozing Brennan maintains Ireland’s 100 percent start to Olympic Qualifiers
Emmett Brennan made it a clean afternoon sweep for Irish boxers as he moved a step closer to Olympic qualification in Paris.
The light heavyweight followed in the footsteps of Aoife O’Rourke and Aidan Walsh and registered Olympic qualifier re-start victory.
The Dublin fighter, a National Elite Champion at super middleweight, progressed to the 81kg quarter finals thanks to victory over Swiss fighter Uke Smajli.
Brennan won the first two rounds of a highly entertaining clash to take the bout 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27, 29-28 on the cards.
The Dublin Docklans fighter now has two shots of securing a seat on the plane to Tokyo. Claim victory in Saturday’s quarter finals and Brennan is there if not he has a box off fall back.
Both fighters loaded up early in the first with Brennan landing a big right hand. However, after tasting the power of his Swiss foe Brennan tucked up well as the round progressed. Smajli looked the more fluid but Brennan landed some big left hooks and solid body shots from behind his tight guard and dominated the final minute.
The 30-year-old moved up the gears in the second. He ploughed forward looking to bulldoze his way toward Tokyo, applying educated pressure on his foe and looking to do some real damage en route to winning the round.
Unlike his teammate Aidan Walsh, Brennan didn’t look sit on his two-round cushion going into the last. He continued to press forward but this time Smajli meet him head-on and a highly entertaining round ensued. Both fighters landed big and often as they went to war to keep their Olympic dream alive.
🥊 RESULT 🥊@aidanwalsh997 with a classy & composed performance v 🇫🇷 and makes it 2 wins from 2 for Team Ireland!
— IABA (@IABABOXING) June 4, 2021
He advances to Sunday’s Q-Finals v 🇺🇦 with a place in #Tokyo2020 up for grabs!
Well done Aidan! 🥊🇮🇪#IABA #TeamIreland #RoadToTokyo pic.twitter.com/R97kji4A5g
The win made it three from three for Ireland this afternoon. Looking to maintain the 100 percent record will be Kellie Harrington and Michaela Walsh who fight tonight.
Belfast’s Walsh is first up as she takes on Mona Mestian of France, while Dubliner Harrington faces Aneta Rygielska of Poland tonight.
