A unanimous final in Budva
John Donoghue, who boxes out of Olympic BC Mullingar, claimed the world under-19 championship at 70kg in Budva, Montenegro. He took the final against Bibarys Ashirbay of Kazakhstan by a 5-0 margin, with the bout level as it entered the closing round. All four published judges' cards read 28:29 in his favour. The gold follows his world junior title in 2023 and his status as the reigning European champion in the division.[S1][S2][S3]
His route to the final included victories over Maksim Rybak of Belarus, Itzhak Avrutis of Israel and Artyom Stepanyan of Armenia. The win places him first in the world rankings for the 70kg category, one of nine Irish boxers now listed inside the top five of their respective weights.[S1]
Bronze for Jason Donoghue and Louise Joyce
Jason Donoghue, John's brother and a clubmate at Olympic BC, came away with bronze after a tight semi-final against Pablo Souto Macias of Spain. His run in Montenegro featured wins over Rostyslav Horodynskyi of Ukraine, Catalan Mustea of Moldova and Akzhurek Kalabay of Kazakhstan. He is ranked third in the world at 65kg.[S1]
Louise Joyce, also of Olympic BC Mullingar, added world bronze to a record that already included three European medals. She met the taller, longer-reaching Elissandra Santos of Brazil in the 48kg semi-final and lost on a unanimous decision. Earlier she had beaten Bouthaina Bouslash of Algeria and Ciana Nonhphala of the United States. She is now ranked third at 48kg.[S1]
Walshe takes silver as Ireland's haul reaches six
Kalib Walshe of Wexford CBS returned with lightweight silver after a technical final against Edgardo Nicolas Peralta of Argentina, the reigning Argentine and South American champion. Peralta took the bout 5-0, with every card reading 30:27. Walshe, a European silver medalist at the weight, had earlier defeated Nearchos Petros Konstantinoudis of Greece, Artur Avetisyan of Armenia and Smail Sahraoui of Algeria, and is ranked second in the world at 60kg.[S1][S3]
Team co-captain Jason Whelan of Dublin Docklands claimed bronze at 75kg after wins over Toyly Bazarov of Turkmenistan, Alessandro Bramerini of Italy and Nikolay Sabev of Bulgaria. Kaysie Joyce of Clonmel BC took bronze at 70kg, with notable victories over Vladyslava Nalyvaiko of Ukraine and Shannon Warren of England. Both are ranked third in their categories.[S1]
Narrow exits and the wider Irish squad
Several Irish boxers went out on split decisions. Caoimhin Connolly of Twin Towns ABC in Donegal won the second and third rounds on many cards in his 50kg last-32 bout against Refugio Medrano Veloz of the United States but was eliminated 3-2. Kayleigh Byrne of Gorey BC lost her 51kg quarter-final 3-2 to Nazokat Mardonova of Uzbekistan despite taking the second round 3-2 and the third 4-1; she is ranked fifth at 51kg.[S1]
Lee Largey Snoddon of Immaculata BC also exited 3-2, in his 55kg quarter-final against Nihat Gasimov of Azerbaijan, having won the opening round 4-1. Grace Bailey fell at the quarter-final stage to Harsika Harsika of India, while Cassie Henderson of Phoenix BC, Armagh, a three-time European medalist, lost her last-16 bout to Daria Antipova of Russia on her world-level debut. Carley O'Herron of Rochfortbridge BC went out in the last 32 at 54kg to Zuzanna Golebiewska of Poland.[S1]
