BOXING AIBA World Youth Championships

Joe Ward, Michael O'Reilly, Ryan Burnett and Chris Blaney advanced to the quarter finals of the AIBA World Youth Championships after recording last 16 wins in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The Irish quartet are now just one bout apiece away from claiming at least a bronze medal each at the Serhedchi Sports Stadium.

Ward, the current AIBA World Junior champ, completed Ireland's second win over Cuba in the space of 24 hours with an 8-1 victory over middleweight Frankie Sanchez.

O'Reilly, who eliminated Cuban AIBA World Junior champ Yunior Boleri yesterday, beat Mitchell Buckland of Wales 12-6 today.

Meanwhile, Burnett, of the Holy Family club in Belfast, impressed in a 16-4 win Rober Estrada Barrera of Columbia, who was tipped by many as favourite going into the light flyweight contest.

And Blaney, from the Navan BC, followed that up with a 7-3 decision over Korean welterweight Dongjin Lee.