AIBA make bid for Women's European Champs

BOXING:KATIE TAYLOR could compete for the first time in a serious tournament in front of a home crowd next year if the Amateur Irish Boxing Association (AIBA) bidding process for the Women's European Championships is successful.

The current Olympic, World and European champion has fought on the under card of the Bernard Dunne World title fight against Ricardo Cordoba in 2009 in The Point and in smaller competitions around the country but never in a big international event on home soil. All of Taylor’s international titles have been won outside of Ireland.

Following her declaration on Thursday that she would be remaining in the amateur ranks the AIBA has confirmed that they have entered the bidding process for the Championships, which according to the bidding document will be held in October 2013, although some believe it may be next July.

The Bray boxer is a five times European Champion and would be going for her sixth title in succession. She has won all but three of the eight Championships which began in 2001 in France. Her first win was in Norway in 2005, when the event was run every year. Since 2007, it takes place every second year, with the 26-year-old winning her last title in Rotterdam in 2011.

According to the bidding document the decision will be made before the end of November at the European executive meeting. The bid requires government support.

Meanwhile, Beijing Olympians Ken Egan and John Joe Joyce and Ross Hickey, David Oliver Joyce and Conrad Cummings recorded quarter-finals wins at the Elite Tammer tournament yesterday.

Egan posted an 11-4 decision over Englands Lawrence Osueke in the light-heavy class in Tampere, Finland. Hickey, Joyce, David Oliver Joyce and Cummings also progressed on impressive verdicts Hickey hammering Italys Luva Melis 29-10.

The four – Michael Nevin was beaten by Hungarys Krisztian Nagy yesterday – join Tipperarys Con Sheehan in todays semi-finals.

All five Irish boxers are guaranteed at least a bronze medal each from the 19-nation tournament.