Michael Conlan through to last 16 in Azerbaijan
Last updated on .From the section Boxing
Belfast flyweight Michael Conlan has progressed to the last 16 at the World Amateur Championships and Olympic qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Conlan secured a narrow 18-17 win over Olzhas Sattibayev of Kazakhstan in the 52kg category.
Conlan led by 7-4 after the first round, and while the Kazakh fighter closed the gap as Conlan tired, the Belfast boxer held on for a win.
Paddy Barnes will be in action in Baku on Monday.
The victory puts Conlan within sight of qualification for London 2012.
The Belfast flyweight will meet number two seed Nordine Oubaali of France in the last 16 on Tuesday for a place in London next year.
All quarter-finalists in Baku will be guaranteed Olympic spots although there will be further qualifying tournaments for London 2012 in the run-up to the Games.
Other Irish fighters Joe Ward, Con Sheehan and Roy Sheehan also progressed to the last 16 of their divisions on Sunday but European light-welterweight champion Ray Moylette was beaten.
Super-heavyweight Con Sheehan defeated Tajikistan boxer Farukh Kalonov 9-3 will meet Italy's Olympic and world champion Roberto Cammarelle in the next round.
Light-heavyweight Ward defeated Dilobarsho Abduraklymnov from Tajikistan 22-4 while welterweight Roy Sheehan edged out Croatia's Borna Katalinic 21-17.
Moylette was beaten 19-7 by Commonwealth Games champion Manoj Kumar of India.
Olympic bronze medallist Paddy Barnes will face Mark Anthony Barriga of the Philippines in the last 32 of the light-flyweight division on Monday.
Victory is likely to earn Barnes a last-16 clash with China's Zou Shiming who defeated the Belfastman at the Olympic semi-finals in Beijing and went on to win the title.
Shiming faces Hungary's Istvan Ungvari on Monday.
