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By Tadhg Peavoy
Ray Moylette and Joe Ward have both secured gold medals at boxing's European Continental Championships in Ankara, Turkey.
Moylette won light-welterweight gold with a superb win over England's Thomas Stalker, while Ward took light-heavyweight gold with victory over Russian Nikita Ivanov.
Moylette fought a controlled and patient fight against Stalker, with the judges scoring the fight 18-10 overall, with the round scores at 5-5, 7-3, 6-2.
Ward, coming into his fight with Ivanov as the major underdog, scored a surprise 20-12 overall win. The rounds tallied at 7-3, 8-3, 5-6, to give Ward glory.
St Anne's BC pugilist Moylette, fighting in the blue corner, emerged into a laser lightshow to the sound of Eye of the Tiger in Ankara, sporting a bruised right-eye.
There was nothing bruised about the 21-year-old's first round performance though, as he tore into his Liverpudlian opponent, the current Commonwealth champion.
Moylette lashed into Stalker from the bell and scored some early punches. However, Stalker came back strongly in the round, with his left jab proving troublesome.
Indeed, the Irish fighter had a two-score lead heading into the final minute, but Stalker landed two late lefts to tie the first round score at 5-5, as the bell sounded.
The second round saw Stalker start the brighter of the two 64kg boxers, however, despite his huff and puff, the Englishman failed to make inroads into Moylette's tight defensive stance.
A flurry of rights, followed by a powerful left hook saw Moylette move into the lead. Stalker kept in touch with a skilful two-hit combo - a left hook being the stand-out punch.
Moylette always had the more energy of the two fighters and pushed himself further clear with a right hook, left jab. The judges weighted the round heavily in favour of Moylette, marking the card at 7-3. That left the Irishman leading 12-8 going into the final round.
Needing a strong final three minutes to overturn a four-point defecit, Stalker again started with ferocity. But the Englishman failed to land anything of meaning early in the third, with Moylette instead picking off points on the counter-attack. A hefty left jab leaving Stalker visibly shaken.
Stalker came again and went for crucial scores, but failed to get them. A big missed right hook from Stalker allowed Moylette to claim a few more points before he finished the tie with two late scores from a left jab and an uppercut, the last point coming with 20 seconds on the clock. At that point, Moylette smelled blood and danced the dance, toying with Stalker, before the judges confirmed the colour of his medal.
However, Moylette's extroverted handstand, peformed in the ring at the sound of the final bell, was the real confirmation of the youngster's impressive victory.
Pictured below: Moylette celebrates his gold medal with an impromptu handstand.
The sound of Survivor's most famous tune echoed around the auditorium once more as Ward emerged for his light-heavyweight battle versus the Russian Ivanov.
Ward, with nothing to lose as the underdog, started with passion and commitment. Early lefts, followed by strong right hooks put Ivanov on the back foot from the outset.
The fight then slowed as both fighters seemed intent on scoping each other out before engaging for combat in earnest. But Ward continued the stronger of the two warriors, landing a right-left combo, before getting caught with a strong left.
Both boxers fought the round with open stances, indicating an open and high-scoring fight lay ahead.
The 25-year-old Russian attempted to use his experience to bully Ward in the ring, but it failed as the 17-year-old Irishman landed combos with 45 seconds and 25 seconds to go, pulling clear in the round.
A final right, then left hook at the bell ensured Ward was well clear as he headed to the corner. The judges marked the round 7-3 in Ireland's favour.
Ivanov seemed enraged by the scoring and stormed into the second round. But the Russian was wild with his punches and caught Ward below the belt early on. He was warned for the infringment as Ward caught his breath from the winding.
With the bout re-started Ward was pushed to the ropes by Ivanov and again the Russian caught his younger Irish opponent below the belt. This time the referee only gave Ivanov a stern talking to.
Ivanov eased off a little after the two successive warnings, allowing Ward to land a point to extend the lead. The Irish fighter's confidence soared as he stalked the ring and landed another fine score.
Ivanov attacked Ward's body and head to pull back scores, which were crucial to maintaining any challenge. However, some late left jabs put Ward back in control of the round. The card was marked 8-3 in Ward's favour; the 15-6 lead he therefore carried into the final round seemed insurmountable. And so it proved.
Ivanov looked a beaten fighter at the start of the third and hesitated on the attack. Ward sensed this delay from the Russian and wisely held-off, wasting some precious time on the clock.
With two minutes to go only a KO would suffice for Ivanov, but Ward was composed and avoided Ivanov's fast combination actions.
Much of the ferocity was gone from the fight before Ivanovic added some successive punches to move clear in the round. The Russian harried and hassled Ward but failed to land more than a few points, before left hooks to the head were exhanged.
Ivanovic continued with this line of attack and added a few more scores to his total. With 25 seconds left the fight began to peter out as Ivanov ran out of steam. This left Ward to dance his way around the canvas for those final few seconds, before the referee called a halt to the contest and Ward was officially awarded the win.
Pictured below: Joe Ward relaxes in his dressing room after winning gold.
Source : Rte Sport
Ray Moylette and Joe Ward have both secured gold medals at boxing's European Continental Championships in Ankara, Turkey.
Moylette won light-welterweight gold with a superb win over England's Thomas Stalker, while Ward took light-heavyweight gold with victory over Russian Nikita Ivanov.
Moylette fought a controlled and patient fight against Stalker, with the judges scoring the fight 18-10 overall, with the round scores at 5-5, 7-3, 6-2.
Ward, coming into his fight with Ivanov as the major underdog, scored a surprise 20-12 overall win. The rounds tallied at 7-3, 8-3, 5-6, to give Ward glory.
St Anne's BC pugilist Moylette, fighting in the blue corner, emerged into a laser lightshow to the sound of Eye of the Tiger in Ankara, sporting a bruised right-eye.
There was nothing bruised about the 21-year-old's first round performance though, as he tore into his Liverpudlian opponent, the current Commonwealth champion.
Moylette lashed into Stalker from the bell and scored some early punches. However, Stalker came back strongly in the round, with his left jab proving troublesome.
Indeed, the Irish fighter had a two-score lead heading into the final minute, but Stalker landed two late lefts to tie the first round score at 5-5, as the bell sounded.
The second round saw Stalker start the brighter of the two 64kg boxers, however, despite his huff and puff, the Englishman failed to make inroads into Moylette's tight defensive stance.
A flurry of rights, followed by a powerful left hook saw Moylette move into the lead. Stalker kept in touch with a skilful two-hit combo - a left hook being the stand-out punch.
Moylette always had the more energy of the two fighters and pushed himself further clear with a right hook, left jab. The judges weighted the round heavily in favour of Moylette, marking the card at 7-3. That left the Irishman leading 12-8 going into the final round.
Needing a strong final three minutes to overturn a four-point defecit, Stalker again started with ferocity. But the Englishman failed to land anything of meaning early in the third, with Moylette instead picking off points on the counter-attack. A hefty left jab leaving Stalker visibly shaken.
Stalker came again and went for crucial scores, but failed to get them. A big missed right hook from Stalker allowed Moylette to claim a few more points before he finished the tie with two late scores from a left jab and an uppercut, the last point coming with 20 seconds on the clock. At that point, Moylette smelled blood and danced the dance, toying with Stalker, before the judges confirmed the colour of his medal.
However, Moylette's extroverted handstand, peformed in the ring at the sound of the final bell, was the real confirmation of the youngster's impressive victory.
Pictured below: Moylette celebrates his gold medal with an impromptu handstand.
The sound of Survivor's most famous tune echoed around the auditorium once more as Ward emerged for his light-heavyweight battle versus the Russian Ivanov.
Ward, with nothing to lose as the underdog, started with passion and commitment. Early lefts, followed by strong right hooks put Ivanov on the back foot from the outset.
The fight then slowed as both fighters seemed intent on scoping each other out before engaging for combat in earnest. But Ward continued the stronger of the two warriors, landing a right-left combo, before getting caught with a strong left.
Both boxers fought the round with open stances, indicating an open and high-scoring fight lay ahead.
The 25-year-old Russian attempted to use his experience to bully Ward in the ring, but it failed as the 17-year-old Irishman landed combos with 45 seconds and 25 seconds to go, pulling clear in the round.
A final right, then left hook at the bell ensured Ward was well clear as he headed to the corner. The judges marked the round 7-3 in Ireland's favour.
Ivanov seemed enraged by the scoring and stormed into the second round. But the Russian was wild with his punches and caught Ward below the belt early on. He was warned for the infringment as Ward caught his breath from the winding.
With the bout re-started Ward was pushed to the ropes by Ivanov and again the Russian caught his younger Irish opponent below the belt. This time the referee only gave Ivanov a stern talking to.
Ivanov eased off a little after the two successive warnings, allowing Ward to land a point to extend the lead. The Irish fighter's confidence soared as he stalked the ring and landed another fine score.
Ivanov attacked Ward's body and head to pull back scores, which were crucial to maintaining any challenge. However, some late left jabs put Ward back in control of the round. The card was marked 8-3 in Ward's favour; the 15-6 lead he therefore carried into the final round seemed insurmountable. And so it proved.
Ivanov looked a beaten fighter at the start of the third and hesitated on the attack. Ward sensed this delay from the Russian and wisely held-off, wasting some precious time on the clock.
With two minutes to go only a KO would suffice for Ivanov, but Ward was composed and avoided Ivanov's fast combination actions.
Much of the ferocity was gone from the fight before Ivanovic added some successive punches to move clear in the round. The Russian harried and hassled Ward but failed to land more than a few points, before left hooks to the head were exhanged.
Ivanovic continued with this line of attack and added a few more scores to his total. With 25 seconds left the fight began to peter out as Ivanov ran out of steam. This left Ward to dance his way around the canvas for those final few seconds, before the referee called a halt to the contest and Ward was officially awarded the win.
Pictured below: Joe Ward relaxes in his dressing room after winning gold.
Source : Rte Sport