BOXING Taylor Progresses into Quarter Finals at World Championships

Katie Taylor progressed to the quarter-finals of the 6th AIBA World Championships with an impressive win over Adriana Araujo of Brazil in Barbados last night.

But Allana Murphy and Sinead Kavanagh bowed out following last-16 reversals to Turkey and China at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex in Bridgetown.

Taylor, who is aiming for her third World title in a row, dominated en route to beating Araujo 20-5.

The 24-year old Bray woman will now meet Anastasia Belyakova of Russia in Wednesday's quarter-final just one bout away from claiming at least bronze -  and three bouts away from an historic hat-trick of World titles.

Meantime, Murphy, of the Eastside BC in Belfast, was beaten 21-4 by reigning AIBA World light-welterweight champion Gulsom Tatar of Turkey.

Murphy produced a fine first round and moved to within two points of Tatar early in the second but the Turk pulled away from that point on to book her ticket into the last eight.

Kavanagh, who boxes out of the Drimnagh BC in Dublin, was reinistated in the tournament on Sunday after her last-32 opponent, Wided Younsi of Tunisia, admitted that she had once boxed professionally, a confession which led to her disqualification and suspension.

Consequently, Kavanagh met Chinese middleweight Ll Jinzi in the early hours of this morning. The Drimnagh middleweight found herself 6-2 down at the end of the second round of this 75Kg clash - Jinzi claimed the first frame 2-0 - but scored the only point of the third to reduce the deficit to three points.

However, Jinzi registered the only points of the fourth and final round to advance to the last eight on a 9-3 verdict.