Barnes beaten by Barriga at World Championships
Last updated on .From the section Boxing
Belfast light-flyweight Paddy Barnes has been beaten by Mark Barriga of the Philippines at the World Amateur Championships in Azerbaijan.
Last year's Commonwealth Games gold medallist and European Champion lost to the 18-year-old on a 20-12 scoreline.
It is a major blow to Barnes's hopes of qualifying to represent Ireland at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
However, there will be one final Olympic qualifying opportunity for European boxers in April in Istanbul.
Barriga led 6-4 after the first round and stretched that to 13-8 by the end of the second.
For Barnes, it was the opening contest of the championships as he had been given a bye in the first round.
On Sunday, Belfast flyweight Michael Conlon reached the last 16 by beating Olzhas Sattibayev of Kazakhstan 18-17 in the 52kg category.
Conlon will meet number two seed Nordine Oubaali of France on Tuesday for a place in London next year.
