A world champion boxer from Monaghan and a successful boxing coach from Cavan believe it was clear that Aoife O'Rourke won her Olympic bout last night.
The Roscommon native suffered a shock defeat to Elzbieta Wojcik of Poland on split decision. O'Rourke was the favourite going into the 75kg last-16 bout having been undefeated against her opponent in their previous encounters. The result caused a public outcry on social media, with many questioning why the Polish boxer wasn't deducted further points for repeated infractions.
Speaking on the Joe Finnegan show, 2015 World female Bantamweight champion, Christina McMahon from Carrickmacross, says Aoife's opponent was never in control of the fight.
"For me watching boxing, Aoife was scoring very clearly. They were very sharp, fast, you have to really know the game that she got that score. To the eye of a person who doesn't watch boxing, the Polish boxer looked stronger and in control, but she wasn't in control, she was totally and utterly all over the shop".
Meanwhile well-know boxing coach from Cavan, Brian McKeown, who coached Mullingar's John Joe Nevin to Olympic silver in 2012 slammed the ineptitude of the refereeing and judging
"The whole basis of boxing is you get the most points for the punches in the scoring area. The rules state that any time you get a public warning, which the Polish boxer got in the very first round, any warning for the same offence after that is another public warning. Another warning for the same offence, that's the third warning, is an instant disqualification. The Polish girl could've been disqualified in the second round. The referee just turned a blind eye".
