MEDAL ALERT: Gabriel Dossen guarantees brilliant bronze for Ireland at European Youths
Galway’s Gabriel Dossen guaranteed Ireland’s first medal of the European Youth Championships in Turkey.
The Olympic BC welterweight won his quarter final in Antalya to assure a bronze – at least – to add to the World Youth bronze he won in Russia last year.
Dossen has moved up to 69kg following his break-out 2016 and had cruised into the quarters in Turkey with comfortable wins over Estonian and Ukrainian opposition.
In the last eight today he was faced by Azerbaijan’s Nijat Hasanov and put on a boxing clinic.
The Azeri had reached the quarters of the European Juniors last year at 57kg and in this tournament won his Last 16 bout (having received a bye) against Italy.
Speedy southpaw Dossen was just to rangey and skilfull for his opponent, circling beautifully andscoring with lovely long shots.
Dossen will now look to upgrade to silver in the semi finals on Friday evening.
Limerick light welter Paddy Donovan and Sligo middleweight Jordan Myers will be in action going for bronze tomorrow
Earlier on in the afternoon Ballymun BC flyweight David Oliver Joyce Jr was edged out by 2016 European Junior champion Ivan Price. The Navan fighter, cousin of his Olympian namesake, is still eligible for U-18 competitions next year and is seen as a huge talent.
