Ward to make Olympics bow on Wednesday

Moate boxer Joe Ward will need to win two fights if he is to bring home an Olympic medal.

The 22-year-old light heavyweight will make his Olympic debut at 11.15pm Irish time on Wednesday.

Ward, as one of the top seeds, received a bye through the preliminary rounds and directly into the last 16 of the competition.

On Wednesday, he will meet the winner of Sunday’s preliminary round bout between German Serge Michel and Carlos Andres Mina from Ecuador.

With only 26 fighters qualified for the Olympics, quality is high and either boxer would prove a tough opponent.

Ward will know Michel, a 27-year-old, who fights in the World Series of Boxing, having beaten the German in Bulgaria in December 2014.

Carlos Andres Mina (24) is also a member of the World Series of Boxing and last year shocked the stylish Cuban and reigning World champion Julio Cesar la Cruz, who has got the better of Ward in the 2013 World Championships semi-final and 2015 World Championships final.

If Ward did come through his first fight, he will box for a medal on Sunday, August 14, at 6pm (Irish time) against the winner of the last 16 fight between seeded French fighter Mathieu Albert Bauderlique and either Erkin Adylbek Uulu from Kyrgyzstan or Colombian Juan Carlos Cardillo.

The light heavyweight semi finals take place on Tuesday evening, August 16, Irish time, with the final on Thursday, August 18, at 7.30pm.