Ireland's amateur boxers came under real examination at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, over the weekend. Four Irish men took their chances against top quality opposition, with welterweight Neil Gough and light heavyweight Stephen Kirk surviving and bantamweight Damian McKenna and middleweight Brian Magee falling by the wayside. Waterford's Gough had to rely on a points verdict (6-4) against Vadim Mrzga, despite putting the man from Belarus down for a count in round three. Tonight he meets Italy's Leonard Bundu.

Kirk (Cairn Lodge BC) got through to Uzbekhistan's Sergy Mihaylov in the fourth round to force a stoppage. He is into the last 16 where he will face Zdravomir Dimitrijevic (Austria) tomorrow night.

Magee was on the losing end of a points decision against another Belarussian, Serguie Savitski. McKenna lost a more clear-cut (9-5) decision to Ishankuli Meretniyazov (Turkmenistan).