Ward prepares for World Championship action
JOE WARD's dream of qualifying for next summer's London Olympic Games is set to intensify over the coming week as he prepares to go into battle at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. The reigning Irish and European light-heavyweight champion from Moate is one of a ten-strong Irish squad due to arrive in Baku later this evening (Wednesday), following a rigorous training camp in Cologne, Germany, ahead of the start of the competition next week. Ward will attend next Monday's weigh-in for the light-heavyweight division as one of the favourites to win the title. And his bid to progress deep into the competition should be further aided by the introduction of a seeding system for the knockout tournament. It's thought up to 120 fighters will compete in the light-heavyweight division, with Ward therefore, required to win three fights to reach the quarter-finals, and thus seal an automatic place at next summer's Olympic Games. Each of the eight quarter-finalists at the World Championships gain automatic entry into next year's Olympics. Ward has long talked about a burning ambition to represent Ireland at the 2012 Olympics, and that dream could become reality if he boxes to form over the next couple of weeks (the competition starts next Monday and runs to October 10). With such a large entry at light-heavyweight, it's believed Ward will kick-off his World title bid either next Monday or Tuesday, with the weight-in and draws scheduled for next Monday morning. Ward has made an enormous impact on both the Irish and European stage over the past year, and is touted as a potential medal-winner at the Worlds in Baku, a venue where the Moate man has enjoyed success in the past. Though regarded as a serious medal hope over the coming weeks, Ward is bound to face stiff opposition from Chinese, Cuban, Russian and several Eastern European talents. However, hopes are high the Westmeath fighter will again rise to the occasion, and produce the same form that saw him clinch the European Championship title in Turkey in June.