Mixed day for Irish at Euros
11 November 2008 – by Cormac Campbell
Ross Hickey has ensured European bronze at the very minimum after a 6-1 victory over Azerbajans Famil Suleymanov in Liverpool.
The Irish lightweight champion will now face Belarus Vazgen Safaryants on Thursday.
Belfasts Ryan Lindberg, however, is out of the competition after dropping a close 5-4 decision to Denis Makarov. Lindberg was neck and neck with the German until the final three seconds when Makarov landed the decisive scoring blow.
Hickeys win, however, further stamps the impressive growth of Irish amateur boxing on the international stage and, with David Oliver Joyce, John Joe Joyce, Eamon O’Kane and Con Sheehan still in contention, things could get much better.
Should any of the Irish fighters reach Saturdays final they will do so with the backing of live television coverage by TG4.