LONDON 2012 Olympian Darren O’Neill will decide on his future as an Elite boxer in the coming weeks after bowing out of the European Championships on a split decision to Ukrainian heavyweight Ramazazaqn Musilimov in Kharkiv, Ukraine yesterday.
Joe Ward and Kurt Walker both won, though, to join Sean McComb and Brendan Irvine – who posted victories on Monday – in today’s quarter-finals, but O’Neill and Emmet Brennan are out.
Ward, the current European light-heavy champion, dropped Slovak Matus Strnisko with a head/body combo in the first and cruised into the last-eight on a unanimous decision, the Moate BC southpaw winking to the camera into the bargain.
The 2015 World Elite finalist, who is aiming for his third European Gold, will face Scotland’s Sean Lazzerini today.
The top eight boxers in each weight in Kharkiv qualify for the World Championships in Hamburg, Germany in August/September.
Ireland, courtesy of Irvine, Walker, McComb and Ward, will be represented at fly, bantam, light-welter and light-heavy in Hamburg.
Thirty-one-year-old O’Neill, who has indicated that this will be his last Europeans, lost a close battle on a 4-1 split to Musilimov, who appeared to be gassed out in the third and final round.
He said: “ I felt myself I won the first and the third, the second was close, but absolutely outraged. Apparently, three or four judges gave him the last round and he was out on his feet. I just don’t know what I can do anymore.
“I’m just so pissed off at the minute. I’m going to take a few weeks off, I don’t know. That’s another major medal taken away from me and that’s more funding taken away from me.”
Meanwhile, Walker showed his class en route to a 4-1 split verdict over No. 2 seed Tayfur Aliyev to set up today’s quarter-final with Italy’s Raffaele Di Serio.
The only surprise was that one of the judges went with the Azeri, who was beaten by Michael Conlan at the 2015 World Championships, as Lisburn-native Walker was on top in all three rounds.
The win maintains Ireland’s grip on the European bantam title which was claimed by John Joe Nevin and Michael Conlan – who have both since turned pro – at the last two Europeans in 2013 and 2015.
“I’m happy enough with my performance. All the pressure is off, qualified for worlds. He (Di Serio) beat me in the European U/22s. I only got a late call-up, I can’t see him beating me. I’m only going to get better,” said Walker.
The 42nd European Championships are the sole qualifier for the World Championships in Germany.
European Elite Men’s Championships Kharkiv, Ukraine
Last 16
56kg K Walker (Ireland) beat T Aliyev (Azerbaijan) 4-1
75kg E Brennan (Ireland) lost to K Shakhsuvarly (Azerbaijan) 0-5
81kg J Ward (Ireland) beat M Strnisko (Slovakia) 5-0
91kg D O’Neill (Ireland) lost to R Musilimov (Ukraine) 1-4
June 21st
Quarter-finals
52kg B Irvine (Ireland) v G Escobar (Spain)
56kg K Walker (Ireland) v R Di Serio (Italy)
64kg S McComb (Ireland) v L McCormack (England)
81kg J Ward (Ireland) v S Lazzerini (Scotland)
