MEDAL ALERT – Bobbi Flood Beats Kiko Martinez Nephew to Win Euro Medal
Bobbi Flood secured round about Dublin revenge and a European medal in Sofia today.
The Dubliner defeated Spain’s Sergio Martinez in Bulgaria via a unanimous decision to progress to the semi-finals of the 71kg class and claim European U22 bronze at the very least.
Martinez is the nephew of Ireland’s favourite away fighter and former world champion Kiko Martinez, who knocked out Dublin’s number-one son Bernard Dunne in 2007.
Like his uncle, who also fought Carl Frampton twice, the amateur was aggressive and game but the underage starlet had too much by way of skill and ring nouse and took victory in the quarter final.
Flood, who fights for silver on Thursday, is now at two time European medal winner, the 19-year-old won European Youth gold just two years ago.
Flood found a home for his jab quite early and it proved a platform from which he could dominate. Martinez did attempt to press and make it scrappy in the first but the young Dub used his feet and check hooked off both hands anytime he felt the ropes on his back.
Frustrated at not being able to land too much by way of punches, Martinez sent a verbal volley the Irish teen’s way at the end of the an opening session Flood won 4-1.
The Spaniard, who scored a stoppage win in the prelims, was able to close the gap in the second and tested the Cabra fighter’s chin with a big right-hand midway through the stanza. However, Flood landed some stinging shots of his own, looked comfortable throughout and took the round across the board.
The Finglas native produced a backfoot masterclass in the last punishing an even more aggressive Martinez for his pursuit of one big shot.
The victory increased Team Ireland’s medal haul to seven with Flood joining Patsy Joyce, Clepson dos Santos, Louis Rooney, Carleigh Irving, Robyn Kelly and Lisa O’Rourke on the podium.
Martin McDonagh will look to add to the tally as they fight for bronze at least over the course of the day. Roy Colgan‘s journey ended at the quarter-final stage after he suffered defeat in the afternoon session and Gavin Ryan suffered a similar fate with defeat in the evening session.
Team Ireland
48kg Carleigh Irving, Oakleaf Boxing Club
54kg Robyn Kelly, Ballynacargy Boxing Club
57kg Niamh Fay, Phoenix of Ballyboughal Boxing Club
63kg Linda Desmond, Rylane Boxing Club
66kg Kaci Rock, Enniskerry Boxing Club
70kg Lisa O’Rourke, Castlerea Boxing Club
75kg Bethany Dooecy, Castlebar Boxing Club
48kg Louis Rooney, Star Boxing Club
51kg Clepson dos Santos, Holy Trinity ABC
54kg Patsy Joyce, Olympic BC Mullingar
57kg Gavin Ryan, Ratoath Golden Gloves Boxing Club
63.5kg Roy Colgan, Avona Boxing Club
67kg Luke Hall, Olympic Boxing Club Mullingar
71kg Bobbi Flood, Cabra Boxing Club
75kg Josh Olaniyan, Jobstown Boxing Club
80kg James Whelan, Dublin Docklands Boxing Club
86kg Kian Hedderman, St. Francis Boxing Club
92+kg Martin McDonagh, Galway Boxing Club
Support Staff
Team Manager: Sean Crowley
Head Coach: Eoin Puck
Coach: Lynne McEnery
Coach: Damian Kennedy
Coach: Jay Delaney
Coach Mentor: Zauri Antia
