Ward wins his second world boxing title

MOATE'S Joe Ward sensationally became a double world champion on Monday, adding the AIBA World Youth Championship title to his expanding repertoire of honours. The 16-year-old from Farnagh defeated Australia's Damien Hooper in the middleweight (75kg) final on Bank Holiday Monday, with the tournament taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan. It becomes Ward's second world title inside a year, as the exciting Westmeath teenager also captured light middleweight gold at the AIBA World Junior Championships in Armenia last May. In Monday's final, Ward saw off his Australian opponent on a scoreline of 6-1 over three three-minute rounds. Ward also defeated Albania's Bekim Vjerdha (18-1), Cuba's Frankie Sanchez (8-1), Russian Kyazim Eneev (9-6), and Colombian fighter Palacio Carrillo (11-3), along the way to yet another huge triumph for the Moate Boxing Club youngster. A delighted Ward said after the contest against Hooper: "I still can't believe it and I think it will take a while for it to sink in that I'm a double world champion. I'm thrilled with the win and very proud to be taking home gold for Ireland from this tournament." He added: ""When I looked at the draw out here I thought it would be very hard to win it because I was definitely on the tough side of the draw. But I still managed to come through it all. I beat the Cuban and I beat the Russian, and I beat everyone they put in front of me out here. The next one up is the Youth Olympics and I am confident that I will win gold at that tournament also." Ward, along with Belfast light-flyweight Ryan Burnett - who won silver at the tournament in Baku - has now also qualified for the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August. The Moate teenager won the overall Westmeath Independent Sports Star of the Year Award for 2009 at last February's gala night in the Hodson Bay Hotel, by virtue of his achievement in winning the AIBA World Junior Championships in Armenia last May. Ward had previously stated on a number of occasions that his short-term aim was to do as well as possible at the qualify World Youth Championship in Baku, and qualify for the first ever Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. Ward, who has been carefully schooled by Seamus Dorrington at Moate Boxing Club, scored two points in every round against Hooper. He was also full of praise for Irish coaches Jim Moore and Jimmy Payne following his win at the Serhedchi Sports Stadium. He said: "I sat down with my coaches Jim Moore and Jimmy Payne, and we devised a plan to beat him (Hooper), and I stuck to that. It worked out perfectly for me. I would like to thank everyone involved with the Irish team and my team-mates for all the help they have given me throughout the tournament." Ward's success in the World Youth Championships saw him following in the footsteps of another Moate boxing star. Back in 1987, Moate's Denis Galvin claimed a bronze medal at the same championships, which were held in Cuba that year.