The O’Rourke sisters will fight for World Championship medals today after Lisa O’Rourke registered Ireland’s first win at the tournament yesterday.

2022 World Champion Lisa O’Rourke opened her account at the 2025 edition of the tournament in style.

The Rosscommon native had a bye to the Last 16, and stepped between the ropes yesterday against against Azerbaijan’s Aynur Rzayeva – 2016 European Women’s champ at 81+kg; the 2022 European silver medalist, and a 2023 Women’s World bronze medalist. 

The Castlerea boxer made short, decisive and dominant work of the bout to get Ireland’s first win. She gave a standing count in the first and second rounds before the referee waved the contest off.

239 boxers from 51 federations are contesting the tournament; in 2023, the last iteration of these championships, 324 boxers from 64 federations competed.

March 15th is a rest day at the tournament, and all finals will be boxed on Sunday, March 16th

Quarter Finals

Lisa has 24 hours to rest and recover – she boxes for a medal in Bout 9 of Ring B’s Evening Session, against Morocco’s Saida Lahmidi, who saw off Uzbekistan in her Last 16 contest also by way of RSC.

And after a long wait, Lisa’s sister, double Olympian 75kg Aoife O’Rourke, opens her account. She is the top seed at the weight and as such, she had a bye to the quarter finals.

She’ll meet Aziza Zokirova of Uzbekistan in Bout 11 of Ring A’s Evening Session.

Team Ireland

48kg Carleigh Irving, Oakleaf Boxing Club, Derry

50kg Daina Moorehouse, Enniskerry Boxing Club, Wicklow

54kg Jenny Lehane, DCU Athletic Boxing Club, Dublin

57kg Michaela Walsh, Holy Family GG, Belfast

66kg Grainne Walsh, St. Mary’s BC Tallaght, Dublin

70kg Lisa O’Rourke, Castlerea BC, Roscommon

75kg Aoife O’Rourke, Castlerea BC, Roscommon

81+kg Judy Bobbett, Liberty Boxing Club, Wicklow.

Team Manager, Ciara Plunkett

Head Coach Zauri Antia

Coach Damian Kennedy

Coach Eoin Pluck

Physiotherapist Rob Tuomey.