Magee to fight in Atlanta

TWO Irish boxers suffered contrasting fortunes in the European Amateur Championships in Vejle, Denmark, yesterday.

Brian Magee became the second Belfast boxer to book his passage to this summer's Olympic Games, but teenager Cathal O'Grady was forced to bow to the greater experience of Frenchman Christophe Mendy, a world rated heavyweight. However, O'Grady may yet get to Atlanta as a "best loser" after putting up a brave performance.

Magee turned in a classy display to join his clubmate, Damaen Kelly, in the quarter-finals of the European tests, which are effectively doubling as Olympic qualifiers. The Holy Trinity boxer was a 12-7 winner of his middleweight bout yesterday with Finnish champion Petri Manniko.

Today, flyweight Kelly meets Italy's Carmine Molaro, a bronze medallist in the 1992 world junior championships, with a bronze medal at stake. Middleweight Magee is also just one fight away from a medal.

But there was a large degree of sympathy in the Irish camp for 19-year-old O'Grady. He was actually level going into the last round, but his opponent's greater experience gave him the edge.

"He didn't hurt me during the fight, but he was very clever - especially in the final round, when he forced me to miss a few times," said O'Grady. "I am confident I will get one of the Olympic spots retained in the heavyweight division for the best losers."

With 11 heavyweights scheduled to earn their tickets to Atlanta from these European tests, three remain on offer to those who lost in yesterday's second round.