BOXING Geraghty Gets Ireland Off to a Winning Start

Declan Geraghty got Ireland's AIBA World Championships campaign off to a winning start with an impressive12-5 verdict over Manyo Plange of Ghana at the Mediolanum Forum in Milan this morning.

The Dublin Docklands flyweight, who was making his World Championship debut this morning, will now meet Mumim Veli of Macenonia in the last 32 next Friday morning.

Geraghty, the reigning Irish senior 51Kg champion, was 3-2 up at the end of the first round in Milan. Plange, whowon one bout at the Beijing Olympics, did manage to level affairs at 3-3 at one stage but two superb lefts from theIrish southpaw helped him toward commanding an 8-4 advantage going into the third and final frame.

Crumlin light welterweight Philip Sutcliffe will be in action this afternoon, followed by Belfast super heavyweight Cathal McMonagle this evening.