BOXINGKATIE TAYLOR is safely into the last 16 of the AIBA World Women's Championships, which double as the Olympic qualifiers, after opening her campaign with a comfortable win over Tunisa's Rim Jouini at the Olympic Stadium in Qinhuangdao, China.

Taylor, the top seed in the lightweight division, was never behind against her Tunisian opponent, leading 5-1 after the first round before stretching that advantage to 8-2 in the second.

Jouini again struggled to contain the Bray fighter in the third, going 14-5 behind, before Taylor wrapped up the win 19-6 in the fourth and final two-minute round.

Taylor, who is targeting her fourth AIBA World title in-a-row, will now meet Saida Khassenova of Kazakhstan for a place in the quarter-finals tomorrow morning.

Ceire Smith, who has won two bouts in China so far, will also be in action tomorrow when she meets Poland’s Anna Karolina Michalczuk in the last 16.

Pete Taylor, Katie’s coach and dad who is working Ireland’s corner in China along with Zuar Antia, believes the Pole will be a real test for Smith.

“Ceire has got two good wins under her belt. She’s in fantastic form and her confidence is high,” he said. “She’s facing a big test against the Polish girl. This will be a real test for her, but she has two wins now and she’ll go into the fight with a lot of confidence.”

AIBA World Women’s Championships (at Qinhuangdao, China)

Last 16 — Today (2pm local time, 7am Irish time)

51kg – Ceire Smith (Ireland) v Anna Karolina Michalczuk (Poland).

60kg – Katie Taylor (Ireland) v Saida Khassenova (Kazakhstan).