Ward adds another gold medal to his collection

Moate Boxing Club sensation Joe Ward has added to a growing reputation after claiming the middleweight gold medal at the ten-nation Agalarov Youth Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan, last Friday. Ward, the current AIBA World Youth champion, captured the title following a 6-2 win over Victor Huseynliaze in the final. Last Thursday, Ward (16), also hammered home favourite Fagan Huseynov 10-0 in a one-sided middleweight contest. Ward, from Farnagh in Moate, is no stranger to success in Azerbaijan having also won gold at the ten-nation Heydar Aliyev Cup (The President's Cup) in Baku, Azerbaijan, in May. Ward has previously been successful at both the European Schoolboy Championships and European Junior Championships, as well as at various national competitions. Ward's continuing progress has him focussed on representing Ireland at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in the summer of 2010, and also on featuring at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Meanwhile, fellow Moate boxer Gary Molloy will represent Ireland in the 51+ category in Westport, Mayo, this evening (Wednesday), as they take on England in a challenge tournament. Molloy, from Mount Carmel Drive, Moate, is one of 20 Irish boxers selected to box for his nation this evening.