Akash Tuqir going for gold in Youth Euros

The Shropshire flyweight outboxed former junior boss Willie Donoghue in Poland to make it to tomorrow afternoon's final, writes Craig Birch.

The 17-year-old, who fights out of Merridale Boxing Club in Wolverhampton, will now take on Armenia's Badalyan Vahe for top honours out of 16 at the weight.

The tall southpaw has lost four national finals at club level, but could now be crowned champion on his European Youth debut for his country.

Bronze was already in the bag after a unanimous points win over Slovakia's Filip Meszaros on Wednesday, following on from his opening bout.

A first round stoppage saw Spain's Jose Brotons Quiles counted out from a left uppercut on Sunday, inside Kolobrzeg's Hala Millennium Arena.

Tuqir went into the semi-final as the underdog, though, with Donoghue identified as his biggest threat having come back down to 52kg.

The game-plan was quickly in force as Tuqir established the jab quickly with the right hand looked to load up the left hook, as his short and stocky opponent looked dangerous on the inside.

Speed was key as he kept the jab working to push Donoghue back, taking the first round comfortably having set a fast pace.

The Irishman tried to bring the fight to him in the second and match the tempo, with Tuqir swinging right hands off the jab on the back-foot.

Donoghue tried to feint and shimmy but couldn't make the room to get in close, as Tuqir again popped out the left at will to nick the session.

There was little option but for Donoghue to go gung ho in the third and final round as he chased the fight, but he still couldn't get close regularly.

Tuqir also seized the chance to rock his head back with hooks of his own, keeping his work-rate going in the dying embers to close out the result.

Donoghue churlishly put his hand up at the final bell, too, but knew he was well beaten, with the judges in no doubt of Tuqir unanimously.