WATCH LIVE: Ireland’s Kirill Afanasev goes for bronze at EU Championships

Dublin heavyweight Kirill Afanasev will look to guarantee a place on the podium of the EU Championships in Valladolid today.

The Smithfield Russian will hope to join Galway welterweight Kieran Molloy, who ensured bronze yesterday, when he fights in the quarter-finals in Spain inside the next hour.

To do so he will need to beat Croat Tony Filipi, a silver medallist at European Under-22s last year.

The pair have history having met in the final of the Tammer Tournament in Finland last year.

Filipi won that time, on a 4-1 split, but since then Afanasev has claimed his maiden Elite Senior title and has impressed in international fights this year.

Today’s fight is expected to start just before 4:30pm and the bout can be watched live on the official stream below:

Michael Nevin and Kurt Walker are in action tomorrow against English and Polish opposition respectively.

EU Elite Championships Valladolid, Spain
November 9th
Prelims (last 16)
52kg Conor Quinn (Ireland) lost to Rosenov Banbakov (Bulgaria) 1-4
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Stefan Ivanov (Bulgaria) 5-0
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) lost to Frazer Clarke (England) 1-4

November 10th
Prelims (last 16)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Ruben Veciunoa (Belgium) 5-0
91kg Kirill Afanasev (Ireland) beat David Michalek (Slovakia) 4-1

November 11th
Prelims (last 16)
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) beat Petr Novak (Czech Republic) 5-0

November 12th
Prelims (last 16)
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) beat Stephan Nikitin (Germany) 5-0

November 13th
Q/Finals
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) lost to Dmitry Galogot (Moldova) 0-5
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Vincenzo Arecchiai (Italy) 3-1-1

November 14th
Q/Finals
91kg Kirill Afanasev (Ireland) v Toni Filipi (Croatia)

November 15th
Q/Finals
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) v Jaroslav Iwanow (Poland)
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) v Carl Fail (England)

November 17th
S/Finals
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) v Pat McCormack (England)

Irish squad
52kg Conor Quinn (Clonard BC)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal BC)
64kg Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise BC)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard BC) (Bronze, at least)
75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise BC)
91kg Kirill Afanasev (Smithfield BC)
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Clonmel BC)

Team Manager: Stephen Molloy
Coaches: John Conlan & Eoin Pluck
Physiotherapist: Seamus Caffrey
Team Doctor: Jim Clover- Team Doctor
Sports Physiologist: Damian Martin
Referee & Judge: Jim Murrin

Photo Credit: Ricardo Guglielminotti – The Fighting Irish (@ThefIrish)