We’re down to Michael Conlan and Katie Taylor.
Team Ireland’s boxing contingent, the one that was largely expected to deliver Ireland’s heaviest medal haul of Rio 2016, is thinning at an alarming rate.
It’s been a downright miserable tournament for boxers from these shores as two more representatives bowed out of Rio 2016 on Saturday.
Brendan Irvine first took to the ring this afternoon and the 20-year-old will have to be content gleaning experience in Brazil as the St. Paul’s flyweight was outclassed by Uzbekistan’s Shakhobidin Zoirov.
Zoirov took all three rounds over Irvine in what was a routine victory for the Uzbek.
An hour after Irvine was left humbly applauding, Steven Donnelly slipped between the ropes for the third time in Rio to take on the reigning world champion Mohammed Rabii.
The Moroccan welterweight boxed beautifully in the opening round as he teased Donnelly forward and countered at will, and denied the Ballymena boxer a bronze medal.
After two rounds, Rabii enjoyed a 20-18 advantage on two judges’ scorecards and the closeness of the bout was reflected in the marking of Judge C who had it all level after the second.
The third was more scrappy than it was stylish as the pair clashed heads and Donnelly poured it on in an attempt to reach the podium.
But it wasn’t to be as Rabii’s hand was raised in a split decision and Ireland’s boxing medal chances were left in the padded hands of Michael Conlan and Katie Taylor.
And, to be fair, they’re not the worst hands to be in.
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