Joe Ward clinches Rio spot after world semi-final win
Last updated on .From the section Boxing
Joe Ward has qualified for the Rio Olympics after an impressive semi-final victory at the World Championships in Doha on Monday.
The Westmeath light-heavyweight earned a 3-0 win over Elshod Rasulov of Uzbekistan.
Ward is the second Irish fighter to secure a place in the finals after Belfast bantamweight Michael Conlan won his semi-final on Sunday.
Conlan faces Uzbekistan's Murodjon Akhmadaliev in Wednesday's decider.
European champion Conlan progressed to the gold-medal contest thanks to a unanimous decision over Belarusian Dzmitry Asanau in the semi-finals.
Portlaoise's Michael O'Reilly was beaten by Bektemir Melikuziev of Uzbekistan in his middleweight semi-final.
Ward looks forward to a final against Cuban Julio la Cruz, who defeated the Irishman in the 2013 world semi-finals.
