Michaela Walsh has expressed frustration following her first-round exit at the 2025 Women’s World Championships in Nis, Serbia, earlier this week.
The West Belfast woman was up against home fighter Andjela Brankovic in their featherweight clash but it was the Serb who advanced on a unanimous decision.
Brankovic swept the opening round with southpaw on the front foot and pressing the action a little more, but it had been a competitive frame with Walsh landing some eye-catching right counters along the way.
Walsh was straight on the mark to begin the second with Brankovic happy to stand and traded in the centre of the ring, but again it was a competitive round with Walsh enjoying plenty of success to time her shots, but only two of the five judges felt she had got the better of it with the home fighter perhaps rewarded for being busier.
It left Walsh with a major task on her hands in the final three minutes and she got straight down to action, going toe-to-toe from the off and getting on her front foot a lot more, seeming to win the exchanges but it wasn't to be as the majority of the judges gave the home fighter the nod to ensure it was a unanimous verdict.
"Denied, but never defeated," a disappointed Walsh posted on social media.
"Yesterday (Monday), my dream was stolen. I stepped into the ring at the World Championships against hometown boxer and dominated the fight. It was clear as day. Yet somehow, the decision went against me. I have always been humble in both victory and defeat, but this is something I cannot accept.
"This sport is my livelihood, my passion, my life. Decisions like this have real consequences-funding cut, years of sacrifice overlooked, and dreams stolen in plain sight. Do they not understand what we put into this? The blood, sweat, and tears?
"But let me be clear: this was a victory. I refuse to let corruption define my story. I will rise again, I will fight again, and I will be the champion I know I am."
Walsh was not the only Irish fighter left disappointed this week as Carleigh Irving, Daina Moorehouse, Jenny Lehane, Grainne Walsh and Judy Bobbett all exited at the first hurdle.
However, Ireland did secure medals through the O'Rourke sisters, Lisa and Aoife, who box to upgrade from bronze on Friday.
