Different class! Ward secures medal for Ireland at world championships

This is turning out to be another outstanding year for Moate boxer Joe Ward, who this evening (Tuesday) secured Ireland's only medal at the AIBA world amateur boxing championships in Hamburg, Germany. 

The 23-year-old produced a masterful display to defeat Mikhail Dauhaliavets of Belarus on a unanimous points decision. 

This win at the quarter final stage guarantees him a bronze medal, at least, to add to the third European gold medal he won earlier this year. 

Ward set out his stall in the opening round, inviting Dauhaliavets forward before catching him with a series of stinging counter-punches. 

He slipped on the canvas midway through round two but otherwise looked completely unruffled. Dauhaliavets gamely pressed on but his straightforward style was no match for Ward's movement and reflexes. 

Perhaps with the semi final in mind, Ward eased up slightly in the third round as the outcome at that stage was not in any doubt.  

The local southpaw will now face Uzbekistan's Bektemir Melikuziev in Friday's semi final. 

In his last two world championships, Ward won bronze in 2013 and silver in 2015. On both occasions he was defeated by Cuba's Julio Cesar La Cruz, and he could meet Cruz again in the world decider should they win their respective semi finals on Friday.