Ray Moylette looks set to get Olympic chance
Ray Moylette has been given the opportunity to fight in an all-important second bout on the AIBA Professional Boxing circuit.
The Mayo light welterweight made his debut in the competition last month in Turkey, losing out to home fighter Batuhan Gozgec.
APB glory however is not top priority for the Westerner, and Moylette instead is competing to earn his place in the APB/WSB Olympic qualifiers this June.
Boxers who joined the APB this year must compete in two bouts (win, lose, or draw) to become eligible for this qualifier – and Moylette will, barring injury, fulfill this requirement on March 19th in Uzbekistan.
The 2010 European gold medalist will box over six rounds against a to-be-confirmed opponent in the Uzbek capital Tashkent.
Before Moylette’s expected tilt at the APB/WSB Olympic qualifier, light welterweight rival Dean Walsh will have two attempts to fulfill Olympic qualification criteria. Walsh will box at the European qualifying tournament in Turkey in April and, if needed, the Worldwide qualifying tournament in Azerbaijan in June. If both Walsh and Moylette book spots for Rio it is assumed that a box-off will be used to determine which fighter is sent to Brazil.
The location of this qualifier is currently unclear following today’s announcement from the AIBA that the tournament will no longer be held in Bulgaria as previously planned.
