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Westmeath southpaw Joe Ward is on course for his third European title in Kharkiv, Ukraine, but Antrims Brendan Irvine and Kurt Walker had to settle for bronze after losing their semi-finals yesterday.

Ward, the defending champion and No 1 seed in the light-heavy class, beat Italys Valentino Manfredonia in yesterdays 81kg semi-final on a comprehensive unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 30-25, 30-27).

The Rio Olympian said before the fight that if he performed, the Brazil-born Azzurri orthodox didnt have a chance. He delivered yesterday, though Manfredonia was limping after the first round from a leg injury.

Ward will now meet Russias Muslim Gadzhimagomedov who beat Croatias Damir Plantic yesterday in todays final looking to become the first Irish male boxer (Katie Taylor has won six) to claim three European titles. Facing a Russian in a major final is unlikely to phase the Irish champion, as he beat Russias Nikita Ivanov in the 2011 decider to become one of the youngest international boxers to win European gold, aged just 17.

The plan all along is to win the gold medal in the Ukraine. Thats what Im out here for. Gold is always my target, said Ward.

Meanwhile, Irvine, the No 4 seed in the flyweight class, dropped a unanimous (30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28) decision to Dean Farrell, the English orthodox impressing with his high work rate.

Irvine detonated the heavier punches in the opening two rounds, but Farrell, while missing with the first two shots of his three-punch combinations consistently found the target with the third. Irvine upped the pace in the last frame. A massive left could have changed the course of the fight, but Farrell slipped the shot en route to upgrading to silver.

Walker lost to Mykola Butsenko. The Ukrainian was awarded a 30-27 decision across the board.

The defeat means that Ireland has relinquished the European title it has held for the last four years, courtesy of Nevin in 2013 and Michael Conlan in 2015.

Ward, Irvine, Walker, and Sean McComb qualified for the World Championships in Hamburg. Germany, in August/September in Kharkiv after finishing in the top eight, but Dublin middleweight Emmet Brennan could qualify if Azerbaijans Kamran Shakhsuvarly claims gold today. Todays finals begin at 2pm Irish time.

See: Digest

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Ward on course for third European boxing title in Ukraine - Irish Examiner