Stylish Paddy Donovan gets Ireland off to a winning start

Limerick lightweight Paddy Donovan got Ireland off to a winning start at the World Youth Championships in St Petersburg this morning.

The OLOL southpaw took on Poland’s Damian Durkacz in Russia in the Round of 64 and put on a boxing clinic, counterpunching his way to a comprehensive victory.

Durkacz had no answer to the wonderful head movement of his 17 year old Irish foe, who found the target consistently with a potent counter right hook.

The Munster teen’s bout was on of the first to be scored by all five ringsid judges as part of a rule-change by the AIBA, and ‘The Gypsy King’ won on all five cards.

Donovan will now face Filipino Ranjo Gil Napoles, who received a bye, in the Round of 32 on Sunday morning.

The Asian boxer is a first year Youth like Donovan and won Asian Youth bronze earlier this year. Napoles competed at the World Juniors last year, where Donovan won silver, but was eliminated in the first round.