JOHN DOCHERTY booked his place in the semi-finals of the Commonwealth Games when he beat England’s top middleweight Ben Whittaker. The GB rivals had boxed before, in the Commonwealth Youth Games in fact. The Scotsman prevailed again in the senior version. He won by split decision in a close bout, often marred by clinches. Docherty is now guaranteed a medal.
Docherty’s team mate at 52kgs, Reece McFadden will join him in the semi-finals after he beat Pakistan’s Syed Assif on a unanimous decision.
English lightweight Paige Murney is now guaranteed a medal, after she unanimously outpointed Northern Ireland’s Alanna Nihell. “We’ve boxed each other six times and I’m winning 4-2 now so I think that bout was the easiest I’ve ever made it,” Murney told the BBC.
“I’ve only been boxing around five years and it’s just my ninth international fight so to do it on this stage is amazing and I’m ready to change the colour now – and bring that gold medal back to Leicester and England.”
Northern Ireland have two semi-finalists in Brendan Irvine and Stephen Donnelly. Irvine beat Botswana’s Rajab Mahommed, while Donnelly defeated Samoa’s Henry Tyrell.
After beating New Zealand’s Tasmyn Benny, Kristina O’Hara will represent Northern Ireland in the light-flyweight final against Indian legend Mary Kom.
