OLYMPIC LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION Kellie Harrington received arguably the toughest possible draw for her preliminary bout at the European Championships in Budva, Montenegro, but the Dubliner comprehensively outclassed French powerhouse Maiva Hamadouche to progress to the round of 16.
Harrington is unbeaten in the ring since 2018 but she has never won European gold, picking up bronze in Sofia four years ago and silver at the 2019 European Games when injury ruled her out of her 60kg decider with Finnish great Mira Potkonen.
She began her latest continental campaign with a 5-0 unanimous-decision win (30-27 x4, 30-25) over Hamadouche, the 2019 European silver medallist and former professional world champion whose record in the paid ranks reads 22-2 with 18 KOs.
Just as she did during her Olympic-qualifying victory over the Frenchwoman last spring, Harrington diffused Hamadouche’s power and relentless aggression, absorbing plenty of shots both downstairs and with her gloves while landing at will off either hand throughout a highly entertaining contest.
One of the judges rather harshly awarded Harrington the second and third rounds on 10-8 scores despite the fact that Hamadouche remained a threat throughout, but the Dubliner was certainly a class above for all nine minutes as she booked a last-16 tie with either Ukrainian or Turkish opposition tomorrow.
Hamadouche, who like Harrington is 32, was the IBF super-featherweight world champion in the professional sport between 2016 and November last year, when her reign was ended by American Mikaela Mayer in a unification clash (Mayer faces the Brian Peters-managed Alycia Bamgardner in the co-main event to Claressa Shields v Savannah Marshall live on Sky Sports tomorrow night). Provided they are selected by their national-team coaches, professional boxers are entitled to compete in ‘amateur’ competitions under a rule introduced by IBA prior to the 2016 Olympics.
🚨 Women's European Championships 🚨
— IABA (@IABABOXING) October 14, 2022
54kg Niamh Fay wins her opening @EUBCBOXING bout Vs Italy, 5-0
She is next in action on Monday, Vs. Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/d61zW7J7Xb
Harrington’s second victory over the brick-fisted Frenchwoman was Ireland’s second from as many bouts at these championships. Earlier, her fellow Dubliner Niamh Fay got off to a winner with her own unanimous-decision win over Italy’s Sirine Charaabi in the preliminary stage of the 54kg (bantamweight) bracket.
The highly touted U22 European champion will face Ukrainian opposition in the last 16 on Monday.
Commonwealth Games stars Carly McNaul and Michaela Walsh begin their respective campaigns at 52kg and 57kg tomorrow, while world champion Amy Broadhurst returns at 63kg on Sunday.
Ireland squad
- 48kg: Shannon Sweeney, St. Anne’s, Mayo
- 50kg: Caitlin Fryers, Immaculata BC, Belfast
- 54kg: Niamh Fay, Phoenix of Ballyboughal BC, Dublin
- 57kg: Michaela Walsh, Emerald BC, Belfast
- 60kg: Kellie Harrington, St. Mary’s BC, Dublin
- 63kg: Amy Broadhurst, St. Bronagh’s ABC, Newry
- 66kg: Kaci Rock, Enniskerry BC, Wicklow
- 70kg: Christina Desmond, Dungarvan BC/Garda BC
- 75kg: Aoife O’Rourke, Olympic BC, Galway