Three Irish boxers secure medals at the World Boxing Championships

Aoife O'Rourke, Gráinne Walsh, and Patsy Joyce have all secured medals at the World Boxing Championships.

O'Rourke defeated Norway's Sunniva Hofstad by split decision in the 75kg division to secure at least a bronze medal.

O’Rourke got the better of the exchanges early on and won the first round on four judges’ scorecards, before repeating that feat in the second.

In the final round, with Hofstad needing either a point deduction or a stoppage, O’Rourke continued to get the better of the action, with four judges giving her every round.

The victory saw the 28-year-old qualify for the 75kg semi-finals on Saturday, where she will face former world champion Lina Wang from China at 1.15pm.

Walsh ensured she would be coming home with a medal when she defeated Paris Olympics silver medallist Yang Liu of China by the narrowest of margins in the quarter-final of the 65kg division.

Three judges could not separate the two fighters, so a countback was required before the Tullamore native was awarded the win.

Joyce is also into the 55kg semis, after a split decision win over Uzbek veteran Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov.

Joyce boxed off the back foot throughout, as Mirzakhalilov applied pressure, and the Mullingar native needed to win the final round to secure the decision.