IRELAND’S PADDY BARNES will not contest his final in the European Championships today due to injury.
The light-flyweight suffered a broken nose earlier in the week and was due to take on David Ayrapetyan of Russia this afternoon.
However, the Belfast native has been withdrawn from the fight by coach Billy Walsh and will receive a silver medal.
“The safety of our boxers is more important than gold medals”, the IABA website report Walsh as saying.
Barnes himself also tweeted:
Michael Conlan is first up against Andrew Selby of Wales before John Joe Nevin and Jason Quigley also represent Ireland in their respective finals.
