Gráinne Walsh one win away from securing Olympic slot but faces tough southpaw
Ireland's Gráinne Walsh celebrates her women's 66kg preliminary bout win over Ivory Coast's Sedja Sanogo in Bangkok, Thailand today. Photo: Joe Walsh/Sportsfile
Ireland's Gráinne Walsh lands with a left against Sedja Sanogo of Ivory Coast.
For the second time in three months Tullamore native Gráinne Walsh (28) is one win away from securing a slot at the Paris Olympic in the welter weight division.
Walsh, who boxes out of St Mary’s BC in Tallaght outclassed Seda Sanago from the Ivory Coast in a last-16 66kg fight at the final Olympic qualifier in Bangkok to make it three wins on the spin.
But her biggest challenge will come on Sunday when she steps inside the ring against Ani Hovesepyan from Armenia. She underlined her credential by stopping New Zealander Cara Whareray in her last-16 contest.
Walsh must win to secure a slot and join club mate Kellie Harrington on the Irish team at the Paris Games.
Walsh, who was dreadfully unlucky not to win her quota fight at the first Olympic qualifier in Milan in March, has not put a foot wrong so far in Bangkok. But she will have to earn her victory on Sunday.
Having defeated Sanago in the quarter final of the 2019 Eindhoven Cup Walsh knew what to expect. She went on the offensive from the first bell peppering the Ivory Coast boxer from all angles. Sanago was over dependent on a big swing which was woefully inaccurate.
Ireland's Gráinne Walsh lands with a left against Sedja Sanogo of Ivory Coast.
Walsh’s superior footwork meant that her opponent couldn’t pin her on the ropes which would have given her a chance to land a haymaker.
Walsh’s work rate and stamina through the first two rounds was impressive. She had the fight in the bag by then leading by two points on all five judges’ scorecards after taking the first two rounds.
Sanago threw caution to the wind in the third round searching for a big knockout blow. But Walsh who was the more skilful fighter comfortably dealt with the challenge even briefly standing toe to toe and exchanging blows.
In the end of a one-sided contest Walsh won on a shut-out unanimous decision 30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 30-26.
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A much bigger challenge awaits her on Sunday against Hovesepyan, who boxes from a southpaw stance and has had one fight at professional level.
Though the pair have never fought previously the Irish coaching staff will be familiar with the Armenian who has dropped down from light middleweight in a bid to qualify for the Paris Games.
At the 2022 World championships she was beaten by Ireland’s Lisa O’Rourke in the quarter-final of the 70kg class in Istanbul and also lost to Amy Broadhurst at the 2018 World championships in New Delhi.
