World Championships Day 9 Preview

Ireland go for their first ever gold today in boxing’s toughest tournament. Belfast bantamweight and Irish team captain Mick Conlan is in final action at the 7,700 seater Ali Bin Hamas Al Attiya Arena-Al Sadd in Doha, Qatar.

The big bout is at 6pm Irish time and the 23 year old faces Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev. The Central Asian is a 2012 World Youth and 2015 Asian Championships silver medalist. Conlan is a 2/7 favourite going into going into the bout with the 20 year old, and we are confident that he can secure a comfortable win and make history for Ireland.

Also, at 5:30pm, Michael O’Reilly goes for Olympic qualification. The Portlaoise BC man has already won bronze but needs to win his 3rd place play off with Egypt’s Hussein Hosam Abdin to guarantee a spot in Rio 2016.* O’Reilly is a 3/10 favourite to beat the African veteran who was a 2008 Olympian, won African Games bronze in 2007, and has competed in the APB. If he has recovered mentally from Sunday’s semi final loss to Bektemir Melikuziev, O’Reilly should win comprehensively here and secure a fourth slot in Rio for Team Ireland.

*Even if O’Reilly loses there is a chance that he will still qualify for Rio, however this seems unlikely and would not be confirmed until December.

Joe Ward is in final action tomorrow.

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