Joe Ward is through to the last 16 of the European Elite Championships in Samokov, Bulgaria, but Dean Gardiner is out of the tournament.
Ward, the 2011 European Elite champion, outclassed Russia’s Idris Shakhmonov on a unanimous decision (30-25,30-27,30-26), with one judge giving Ireland’s AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) fighter two 10-8 rounds.
The Irish southpaw will now meet Georgia’s Nikoloz Selchniashvili, an opponent he has beaten in the past, for a place in the last-eight on Tuesday.
Gardiner lost to Croatian number one seed Filip Hrgovic in the super-heavy class. Hrgovic, who has qualified for Rio 2016 through the World Series of Boxing, earning a 30-25,30-25,30-25 unanimous decision.
London 2012 bronze medallist Michael Conlan, Irish captain Darren O’Neill and Dean Walsh will be in last-16 action in Samokov .
On Saturday, Adam Nolan got his campaign off to a winning start with a majority decision (29-27,28-28,29-27) win over Turkey’s Onder Sipal in an all southpaw 69kg clash.
