Going for Gold- Conlan sets up mouthwatering Ireland v England European final

Michael Conlan said he would return with European Championship gold just days before he departed for Bulgaria and is just 9 minutes from delivering on his promise.

The Belfast bantamweight defeated Francesco Maietta on Friday afternoon to book a place in Saturday’s decider.

Conlan upgraded his bronze medal to at least silver after beating the Italian, but will not be content till gold is draped around his neck.

Conlan, who now boxes out of the Clonard ABC, beat the tough and game Italian 30-27,29-28,29-28 to secure his second successive European Elite sliver medal, at least.

Maietta came out firing from the off, but Conlan was happy to matador as his opponent bulled forward and took the round on all three judges scorecards.

The second followed a similar pattern and it was clear the younger brother of fly weight pro Jamie Conlan was hurting Maietta espically when landed to the body.

One judge gave the second stanza to the Italian, but Conlan knew he had the fight in the bag going into the third and was happy to hold something in reserve for Saturday’s final.

Conlan now faces Qais Ashfaq, a fighter he beat in the recent Commonwealth Games, in a mouthwatering irish versus England decider.