Joe Ward finishes season on a high with win in Sofia

Irish light-heavy Joe Ward finished out his AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) season on a high note with a unanimous decision over Joe Kennedy St Pierre of Mauritius in Bulgaria on Saturday.

Ward, who will be back in Bulgaria with the Irish team next month for the European Elite Championships, won all eight rounds.

But the Sofia fight night ended in disarray after the Rio 2016 clash between Bulgaria’s Spas Genov and France’s Mathieu Bauderlique ended in a technical draw. Bauderlique, who beat Ward this season, took the first round of the decider for a quota place at the Rio Olympics and the APB 81kg final versus Iran’s Ehsan Rouzbahani.

Genov forced Bauderlique into a standing count in the second, but the bout was stopped moments later after the Bulgarian suffered a cut on his forehead following an accidental clash of heads.

The International Boxing Association may now order a rematch. But if Genov, whom Ward has beaten this season, is not fit, it remains to be seen who will get the Olympic quota place.

Bulgarian, French and Irish boxing communities will be watching developments with interest. The Ward versus St Pierre fight was for a rankings position. BERNARD O’NEILL