Katie Taylor has won her quarter-final at the European Women Boxing Championships following a comprehensive victory over Azerbaijan’s Ayzanat Hajiyeva in Rotterdam today.
The Irish lightweight, who was 13-3 up going into the fourth and final round, earned a 17-4 win to claim her third victory in three days at the championships.
Taylor will now meet Sweden’s Helena Falk in Friday’s semi-final and is guaranteed at least bronze following today’s win, is aiming for five European gold medals in-a-row in Rotterdam.
Meanwhile, Ceire Smith lost out in her quest to reach the semi-finals this morning, following a 24-9 defeat to Poland’s Sandra Drabik in the bantamweight division.
The first round finished 3-2 in Drabik’s favour, but the Pole, who claimed silver at the 2011 European Union Championships, pulled away in the final three rounds.
“It was a very brave performance from Ceire against a very experienced opponent. Katie was brilliant and she gave an excellent performance,” said Ireland team manager Anna Moore.
The semi-finals and finals will be held on Friday and Saturday.
