Taylor to meet Cheng Dong in repeat of the 2010 and 2008 AIBA World finals

Three-time AIBA World lightweight champion Katie Taylor will meet China's Cheng Dong in a repeat of the 2010 and 2008 AIBA World finals in Wexford on Sunday night. Taylor, who beat Dong in the 2008/10 AIBA World finals in Bridgetown, Barbados and Ningbo city, China, has been named on a 12-strong Irish squad to meet China at the Brandon House Hotel in Newross, Wexford on Sunday. Both nations will also clash at the Dungarvan Sports Centre on Wednesday week and at the National Stadium in Dublin on Friday, March 25th.


Recently crowned Elite light-heavyweight champion Joe Ward will wear the Irish light-heavyweight vest against Fenlong Meng in Sunday's meeting. Seventeen-year-old Ward, the 2009 and 2010 AIBA World Junior and Youth champion, beat Ken Egan to win his first Elite title at the National Stadium in February.


Nine of the Irish champions from last month's Elite Championships have been included in the Ireland squad for Sunday's clash. Michael Conlon, Katie Rowland, John Joe Nevin, Katie Taylor, Michael McDonagh, Ross Hickey, Darren O'Neill, Sinead Kavanagh, and Joe Ward claimed Elite titles last month.Athlone super-heavyweight Ken Ogungbowa, meanwhile, will line out for Ireland in Wexford versus 2008 Olympic silver medalist Zhilei Zhang.


Con Sheehan and Adam Nolan, who won Irish Elite titles last month, will box in Dungarvan, along with David Oliver Joyce, who beat world champ Dominico Valentino of Italy in the World Series of Boxing last Friday. The Chinese have named three boxers in the women's Olympic weight categories of flyweight, lightweight and middleweight in their squad.