John Donoghue crowned world champion with dominant display

John Donoghue has been crowned world champion after taking gold in the light welterweight category at the World Junior Championships in Yerevan.

It rounds a remarkable week for the 15-year-old from Mullingar, who had looked set to miss out on the chance to fight for a medal due to the Irish Athletic Boxing Association's (IABA) policy that boxers would withdraw if pitted against opponents from either Russia or Belarus, relating to the invasion of Ukraine.

The IABA however dropped the boycott - introduced due to Ireland signing a collective ministerial statement against athletes from Russia or Belarus competing under their national flags - and he defeated Russia's Zakhar Bespalov in his quarter-final bout.

He followed that up with a 3-0 decision over Greece's two-time European champion Emmanouil Fotiadis

Donoghue delivered in the final with a dominant display against Uzbekistan’s Ulmasov Khikmatillo.

#AndTheNew 🥇🥇🥇🥇#TeamIreland's 63kg John Donoghue, of Olympic BC Mullingar, is the World Junior Champion, claiming 🥇following a 4-1 split decision win over Uzbekistan's Khikmatillo Ulmasov. pic.twitter.com/lzacnchYS2

— IABA (@IABABOXING) December 3, 2023

Four of the judges awarded the fight in favour of the Irish fighter (30-27, 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28), with one judge going against the grain, carding it 29-28 in favour of Khikmatillo.

Earlier this week the IABA said it was "taken aback" by the comments made by Minister of State for Sport Thomas Byrne on Monday suggesting it was free to decide on the issue of the Ukraine War-related boycott, and "dismayed at the lack of communication from the Department of Sport on this matter".

The IABA said it had "prepared, selected, provisioned and briefed two teams within the framework of this guidance – the 2023 European Under-22 Championship Team and the 2023 World Junior Championship Team. IABA engaged with the Department of Sport on this matter during this period, and no amendment of existing guidance was conveyed."

Three boxers withdrew from the U22 Euros in Montenegro last month due to being drawn against Russian/Belarusian opponents, including bronze medallist Evelyn Igharo, who missed out the chance to contest her semi-final.

Tegan Farrelly gave a first-round walkover in Armenia on Monday earlier this week.