Kelyn Cassidy (IRL) vs. Rafayel Hovhannisyan (ARM) World Olympic Qualifiers 2024 (80kg)

our next contest is between boxers from Ireland and [Applause] Armenia a b number 469 Mass 80 kg Corner representing Ireland Valley the we're up at 80 kilograms here his 26y old Ken casty from Waterford in Ireland his opponent 22y old rapael henan what a contest this promises to be we see the five scoring judges although they may not be needed they hail from can Canada Argentina the United States of America the Korean Republic and Romania the bachar of Morocco is our referee so Noah hait of Belgium was beaten unanimously in the round of 32 the second unanimous points win was kin CID he got his man out of there inside the distance a first round KO at the 1 minute 26 mark the Southpaw with a terrifically picked left hand a final check of Cid's equipment comes to the ring as a reigning Irish national champion at 80 kg beating Gabriel Dawson in the most recent final see the difference in stature between the two rafhael henan a current under 22 European bronze medalist up at 86 kg hence the disparity in size 86 kg not contested at the Olympic Games and havan electing to come down rather than go up to the heavier weight class of 92 so we're underway then this is action in the 80 kgam division I'd be tempted to call it light heavyweight but names have been removed from the weight classes in Olympic boxing to fall in line with other weight making Sports so it's 80 kg action between boxers from Ireland and Armenia the southp wearing red it's kayin Cassidy the reigning Irish National Champion coming off a terrific first round KO in his round of 32 Victory and it was that shot that did the damage that Southpaw left against his opponent from Guatemala Rafael henia and the Orthodox box are wearing blue Beed in the most recent World Championships up at 86 kg alen Cassidy was a quarterfinalist in Belgrade that's in his second attempt to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris having finished as a fifth place quarterfinalist losing at the quarterfinal stage to Alexander kak the Olympic silver medalist from Tokyo who was in the front by a country mile against Brazil's Herbert Souza remained on the front foot [Applause] now let's take a keep an eye on the referee this injury has been caused by a punch and the doctor happy for it to continue but the injury beneath the right Ty oh that's a cracking right hand and look at the increased urgency from havian the injury that he brought into the ring has been opened up by a punch from kin Cassidy he's aware of that and because it's a punch if the injury caused the bout to be stopped it would be rsci counter left hand off the ropes from cidy and this one Catching Fire just beyond the midpoint of the opening round it was the intervention of the referee and the call for the doctor that has sparked this contest into life and what was a kg Affair is now becoming a heavy handed contest in this final minute of the opening round big swinging a Miss with the Southpaw left from cidy havan look at how he's keeping that right glove tucked against that injury so it doesn't open up further I was just about to say that hav since the first Bell came out and has had that right hand glued to his chin and especially because we know from cassid his last time out how he how well he can throw his back hand I'd have my right hand glued to my chin as well final 30 seconds what has been an incident field first round counter right hand not too far away away from havan then he let go the left hook reaching for a straight right to the body cidy on the edge of range that left hand locked and loaded around his belt line grappling on the inside one suspects that this would suit will suit the naturally biger man of anissian of Armenia looking for that sharp shooting left cross once again it's gone long over the body and his CID applies a headlock havan burrowing away downstairs with his free right hand my goodness that was plenty of incident and look there's not only a cut but the swelling increasing as well Ken Cassidy taking it four judges to one the judge from the United States of America preferring the work of havan antia the Irish head coach inside the ring with the instructions beautiful beautiful work there from from Cassidy with the the straight back hand there the straight left hand just catching his man as he comes in vanesian oh Cassidy was still able to to land some really good shots there even though henan has had his right hand glued to his chin to to not to try not to make any mistakes in that ring but he's going to have to he's going to have to start letting that right hand go now if he wants to stay in this [Applause] fight into the second round then Raphael henian out aggressively having conceded the first round on a 4-1 split kin cath he spinning around the target keeping his call reaches for a long left hand which may have been low but not an not a modum of complaint from havian spinning off the line once again this is terrific movement in the pocket from kin Cassidy because in the face of this aggression from havan isan he is not running instead he's staying within punching range and circling the Target by dancing around the clock face beautifully pivoting leaning back just trying to draw his man onto his rapid fire punches out of that Southpaw stance really good work from from c not not standing still for a second fainting trying to co this man to come in to counter again cassid he FES the armar and look at the two of them exchanging a glare nose to nose during that coming together the forearm of Cassidy beneath the bearded chin of havan isan I don't think those two men will exchang addresses for Christmas cards real intensity as the two men seek to remain in contention for an Olympic quota Place cast he going walk about he's going to have to engage here because that isn't the well I don't think the referee or the judge but when he did that's a pot shot left cross timing it beautifully killing the clock as we approach the midpoint of the second round beautiful foot movement being demonstrated by kin Cassidy gliding around the perimeter of the boxing ring circumnavigating the ROP Arena beautifully and then pot shotting his man in between the Twinkle Toed footwork he's demonstrating lips pursed back into the pocket is where havian is trying to step picked off by a southpaw left once again and kin Cassidy oozing confidence up in the boxing ring goes for a Sharp Shooting left cross once more but it's inaccurate minute remaining in this second round cassid is doing really well just moving around the around the r not getting too much involved with havan havan really needs to step up the work right here he needs to cut him off make sure he hasn't got too much room to move around cassid has been spoken to on a couple of occasions about holding his man there is havan who spoken to about turning his back on his opponent rapid fire Southpaw left is's a single pot shot success once again and Cassidy boxing beautifully and havan oh what a left hook out of the corner and then Cassidy Glides away from one neutral corner to the other and again beautiful movement pot shotting to Perfection is kin Cassidy not holding his feet scoring with accurate eye-catching singles and havian takes another two left hooks with kin Cassidy seemingly pinned against the ropes oh beautiful boxing of the two men just feel one another after the sound of the Bell once again again it's an urgent walk back to that blue corner to receive treatment to that eye injury and receive instruction but that is delightful boxing from kin Cassidy taking the second round unanimously thereby tying up the score from Judge number three who gave the first round to hav isan but that was a sensational performance over the course of the second thre minute stanza from kin Cassidy yeah beautiful work for work there from Cassidy the way he was controlling the pace controlling the movement just sliding off the ropes cck hook rolling slipping ducking and out countering his man with the straight left hand that has been the key to to this round's Victory I feel he's Keen to re-enter The Fray as rapael Hoban non- petroleum jelly right liberally to the face of kin Cassidy to Aid those punches in slipping off third and final round underway Raphael henian the European under 22 bronze medalist up at 86 kg last year trailing 20 points to 18 for four of the five scoring judges Cassidy took the second round unanimously T to tie up the scorecard of Judge number three at 19 points a piece but Raphael henian needs a massive final round to get back on terms on the scorecard and of course at this weight class is always the option of an inside the distant finish haen Cassidy one win away from going through to the quarterfinal contest it's the quarterfinal winners at this weight class in all seven of the men's weight classes who will earn the Olympic quota Place good work to the body from havan but again he simply doesn't possess the foot speed to stay with kin Cassidy when he gets the Pono but there Cassidy has his chin checked by Hooks from both flanks and he just appeared to be organized momentarily but he's taken the punches as his chin is checked by a left Hook Once Again difficult moment for kin Cassidy whose chin is being tagged cleanly by the sing hooks of the marauding Raphael henian and he may well have sustained the cut to his left eye my goodness what incident in this third and final round and this is being caused by an accidental Clash of heads now in the the event that this second cut to the opposite eye the left eye cuses the about to be stopped then we'd go to the score cards because it's an accidental Clash of heads that have caused the cut to the left eye of Raphael havan but he is coming on like a steam train but look at the peppering right jab from Cassidy who's been touched up repeatedly with some heavy leather during the course of this round from the marauding Raphael henan who has said about his man and found the target particularly to the Irish boxers Chin c Cassidy really needs to be careful here because he hasn't really scored much in this round either and remember 20 points to 18 four of the five judges judge number three has it 19 points a piece after Cassidy took the second round unanimously now what has occurred here this one has been caused by a punch now which injury is going to be referred to so the cut to the left left eye was caused by a clash of heads but it's been worsened by a punch if that injury caused the contest to be stopped it would be victory for Cassidy rsci but the doctor happy for it to continue beautiful southp left landed by Cassidy rafhael havian looking to continue to pour it on swinging a Miss with the right hand as Cassidy looks to use all of the space of the boxing ring and havan isan's face being rendered a crimson mask here now cut beneath the right eye and then an injury to the left eye caused by a clash of heads and then worsened by a punch beautiful movement from Cassidy once again havian ending up with his head in between the ropes 10sec Clapper CID is going to make it through to the final Bell after enduring a pretty difficult incident fied third and final round and havan simply could not close the gap and reminiscent of what re of Roberto Duran and the late great Marvin Haggler was saying to sugaray Leonard when he got on his toes havan in the closing stage is saying stand and fight me but cidy having none of it showing a good ring IQ increased the Gap once he heard the 10-second Clapper putting himself in another postcode to ensure that Raphael havian could not catch him with a fight ending single shot but make no mistake Raphael havan really gave it a go in that third and final round I think he did enough to take the third and final round but I don't think it's the 108 round that he requires to bring about par on the scor cards of Judges 1 two four and five here's the verdict I think Cassidy's got it ined and there is confirmation the reigning multiple Irish National Champion kin codyy a unanimous Point decision Victor over Raphael havan of Armenia a beautiful boxing display out of that southp stance particularly in the second round where his Sharp Shooting pot shotting was a joy to behold on the top of Twinkle toad movement but in the third and final round with Raphael havian trailing 20 points to 18 for judges 1 two four and five the man from Armenia really did give it a go and he landed with solidity during the course of the contest checking the chin of Cassidy but he pass the chin and prevails on a unanimous points decision win yeah really good work there from from from Cassidy oh here's the scores and so you see vanan taking