The dust has barely settled on three-time European champion Joe Ward’s latest boxing title, but already the Moate man has turned his attentions to a world gold medal.
The 23-year-old lived up to his top-seed status at the European Championships in Kharkiv, overpowering Russia’s Muslim Gadzhimagomedov in the final of the light-heavyweight division by way of a unanimous decision.
The southpaw adds the latest victory to titles secured in 2011 and 2015, and believes he was full value for the win against the physically imposing Russian.
"It was always going to be a tough fight, but I stuck to my game-plan and I was really comfortable in there and always in control," he told RTÉ Sport.
"I dominated from round one.
"He had his moments in the fight but, overall, I felt in control and very positive."
The 2010 world youth middleweight champion couldn’t hide his delight at winning a third European gold.
"It is a very special day for me today, coming back after six years and winning it again."
"This time six years ago I became a European champion
"It is a very special day for me today, coming back after six years and winning it again."
Ward’s trajectory can be seen by his progress in the World Championships. A bronze medallist in Almaty in 2013, Ward backed that up with a silver medal in Doha two years ago and is hoping to go one better in Hamburg later this year.
"The World Championships is something I’d like to go to. A gold medal there is the only medal I’m missing."
Ward’s gold, along with bronze medals for Kurt Walker and Brendan Irvine marks an impressive for an Ireland team now shorn of the services of the likes of Katie Taylor, Paddy Barnes, Michael Conlon.
Ward however is confident of the ability of the current crop of amateurs as they build towards the next Olympic Games.
"It’s a very young team, we have lost some experienced fighters, but we’re looking forward to Tokyo," he said.
"This team will be very successful in the future and we have a lot of good people around us. It’s all positive."
