THE World Qualification Event for the Olympic Games began on June 16 at the Sarhadchi arena in Baku, Azerbaijan. GB welterweight Josh Kelly needs to finish in the top five at this tournament to qualify for Rio 2016. He got off to a good start, beating Iraq’s Amin Ghasemi Pour on a unanimous points decision.
At heavyweight Ireland’s Darren O’Neill scored an opening win, unanimously defeating Sweden’s Mustafa El Molla, 30-27 for all three judges.
Cuban bantamweight, an Olympic gold medallist, Robeisy Ramirez is campaigning to win his place at Rio 2016. He unanimously outscored Finland’s Arslan Khataev. Former World champion Domenico Valentino is also boxing to qualify in Azerbaijan. He beat Hungary’s Miklos Varga by split decision in his first bout.
Londoner Umar Sadiq is boxing for Nigeria at 81kgs. He overcame Kenya’s Elly Ajowi Ochola.
GB light-welterweight Pat McCormack will have his first bout of the competition on Sunday against Qatar’s Thulasi Tharumalingam.
