Kelyn Cassidy Defeats Olympian to Move to Within One Win of World Championships medal
Kelyn Cassidy has moved to within touching distance of a World Championship medal.
The Waterford light heavyweight’s quick rise to prominence continued in Serbia tonight as he progressed to the quarter-finals of the World Championships – and beat an Olympian to do it.
The St Saviors/ Crystal beat Tajikistan’s Shabbas Negmatulloev on a unanimous decision to move into the last 16 of his first Elite International tournament.
Cassidy lost the first round 3-2 but showed real metal to win rounds two and three 4-1 to progress.
He’ll now meet an opponent to be confirmed tomorrow and is just one win away from at least bronze at the 105-nation tournament.
The win not only moves Cassidy closer to a very hard-to-secure World’s medal it also boosts his Paris Olympic hopes. It earns the Deise the kind of funding that should allow him to train full time for 2022 at the very least.
Kelyn Cassidy earned €12,000 state funding for 2022 by reaching the last 16 of the Worlds. Just bumped himself up to €20,000 by reaching the QFs. Next bout worth at least €41k more to him (funding & AIBA prize money).
— Gavan Casey (@GavanCasey) November 1, 2021
The High Performance Unit didn't want to send a team. pic.twitter.com/fkhhmCh5tx
IBA World Elite Championships Belgrade Serbia
October 25th (Last 64)
67kh Eugene McKeever (Ireland) lost to Asadhuja Muydinkhajaev (Uzbekistan) 0-5
October 26th (Last 32)
51kg Sean Mari (Ireland) lost to Aitila Bernath (Hungary) 1-4
Last 64
63kg Brandon McCarthy (Ireland) lost to Gianluligi Malanga (Italy) 0-5
October 27th (Last 64)
60kg JP Hale (Ireland) lost to Semiz Alicic (Serbia) 0-5
October 28th (Last 32)
57kg Adam Hession (Ireland) lost to Eduard Savvin (Russia Boxing Federation) 1-4
October 30th Last 32)
48kg Rickey Nesbitt (Ireland) lost to Nodrjon Mirakhmador (Uzbekistan) 0-5
80kg Keylan Cassidy (Ireland beat Arriaga Olvera (Mexico) 5-0
November 1st
80kg Keylan Cassidy (Ireland) beat Shabbas Negmatulloev (Tajikistan) 5-0
Novermeber 2nd
Q/Final
80kg Keylan Cassidy (ireland) v TBA
Irish squad
48 kg. Ricky Nesbitt (Holy Family)
51 kg. Sean Mari (Monkstown)
57 kg. Adam Hession (Monieva)
60 kg. JP Hale (Star)
63kg. Brandon McCarthy (St Michaels Athy)
67 kg. Eugene McKeever (Holy Family)
80 Kg. Kelyn Cassidy (St Saviors/ Crystal)
IABA President, Dom O’Rourke
Team manager, Peter O’Donnell
Coaches, Zaur Antia, Dmitry Dimitruk, Eoin Pluck
