Darren O’Connor has secured a place on the World Cup podium.

The University of Galway fighter won FISU World Cup bronze at the very least by defeating Axel Piette of France at the World Combat Games on Tuesday afternoon.

O’Connor was 4-1 down after the first round but superior quality punches in the second and third stanzas lead to a great comeback win.

The Westerner swept the boards in the remaining two three minute spells to claim eventually claim a unanimous decision win.

The all action contest and medal win followed hot on the heels of O’Connor’s stoppage of Japanese champion Shunsuke Kitamoto on Monday. O’Connor now boxes for at least a silver medal in Thursday’s semi-finals. 

Action in Turkey on Wednesday sees 75kg Aoibhe Carabine box for at least silver while 57kg Patryk Adamus, 66kg Leanne Murphy and 71kg Matthew McCole box for bronze.

The World Cup includes 6 sports: Boxing, Karate, Muaythai, Sambo, Wrestling and Wushu. It takes place in Samsun, Turkey, from September 21st to 30th. The cup embraces a university-versus-university format instead of national delegations. The tournament ‘s website is here.

The Cup is a biannual event organised by FISU, the International University Sports Federation, of which Ireland has been a member since 1987.

Irish Team:

57kg: Patryk Adamus – National College of Ireland

63.5kg Darren O’Connor – University of Galway

66kg: Leanne Murphy – University of Limerick

71kg: Matthew McCole – Atlantic Technoligical University, Letterkenny

75kg Aoibhe Carabine – Atlantic Technoligical University, Galway.

Team Manager

Paul Geoghegan

Coach

Paddy Gallagher