Davison and Eccles move to within one win of qualification as MacDonald progresses to quarterfinals
GREAT BRITAIN’S Charley Davison and Rosie Eccles both secured victories to move to within one win of securing their Olympian status for Paris 2024 on a day which also saw Kiaran MacDonald reach the quarterfinals.
There was however some disappointment on day four of the 2023 European Games as both Taylor Bevan and Lewis Williams were beaten.
Charley Davison started the day in style as she moved to within one win of becoming a two-time Olympian as she eased to a unanimous victory over Spain’s Maria Molina.
The bantamweight will now face Sweden’s Zehra Milli in the quarterfinals.
Davison said: “First one is always the hardest one, but I enjoyed it and I’m raring to go for the next one.
“Because I’m the only Olympian on the team at the moment, I do pass on words of wisdom to my teammates and the main thing I say is to go out there and enjoy it and that’s exactly what I did today.
“I get better as the bouts go on, the ring rust has gone now so after this we just keep stepping it up each and every time.”
Up next was flyweight Kiaran MacDonald. The 26-year-old put his experience to good use across all three rounds to defeat Germany’s Omar Ibrahim unanimously.
He will now go up against Serbia’s Omer Ametovic.
MacDonald said: “He was the last person I boxed coming into this tournament, so I was straight into the deep end but it’s a qualifying event, so you expect that level of opponent.
“I’ve been here a week now, but I’ve got the experience to know how to deal with the wait and you’ve just got to get on with it.
“I did well at the Europeans last year, so I’ve got to get in the same rhythm and get my qualification place. I’ll take each fight as it comes. Every opponent brings a different style you’ve just got to manoeuvre your way through it.
“Everyone here is good enough to qualify, you’ve just got to do your job on the day.”
Moving into the evening session, Wales’ Rosie Eccles sealed a hard fought 4:1 split victory over 2019 European Games silver medallist, Assunta Canfora to reach the welterweight quarter-finals.
The 26-year-old will box Ireland’s Amy Broadhurst on Wednesday.
Eccles said: “I’ve been waiting a long time so it’s good to get the first one out of the way. You never feel tiptop in the opener, and I still managed to get the win, I could have done it better but just one more for me now.
“Everybody knows about the heartbreak I suffered at the last qualifying event, so to say it means everything to me is an understatement.
“It feels like the Olympics is etched into my skin. It’s my reason to be so it’ll be full focus on that, and I’ll be raring to go.”
Taylor Bevan and Lewis Williams were also in action on day four, but both men exited the competition following defeat.
Bevan was beaten by Ireland’s Kelyn Cassidy unanimously whilst Williams was on the wrong end of a narrow 3:2 split.
Four boxers will compete for Great Britain tomorrow (Tuesday 27th June) as well as training partner, Cindy Ngamba.
First up and finally getting her competition underway is 2022 European bronze medallist, Demie-Jade Resztan. She will face Italy’s Giordana Sorrentino at 12:15pm UK time.
Soon after, Elise Glynn will take on fellow Italian Irma Testa at 12:45pm. It is the third time in a year that the Englsih featherweight was faced the current world champion.
Boxing for the Refugee team, Cindy Ngamba will be hoping to reach the middleweight quarter final when she goes up against Aoife O’Rourke of Ireland at 18:15pm.
After winning on the opening day of competition last Friday, Jack Dryden returns to action, This time he will challenge Denmark’s Frederik Jensen for a chance to move one step closer to Olympic qualification.
Concluding proceedings for the team is super-heavyweight Delicious Orie. The 25-year-old takes on Omar Shiha at 19:30pm.