TWO deducted points would prove the difference as Aidan Walsh is forced into the box-off for the final light-middleweight Olympic berth.

The West Belfast man lost out on a 4-1 split decision to Jordan's Zeyad Eashash in their 71kg quarter-final at the 2nd World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, as points deducted in the second and third rounds for holding were his undoing.

With five quota places available at the weight, the four quarter-final winners secure qualification, with the defeated all entering a final box-off with a semi-final and final to decide the last spot.

That is what the Holy Family man must now set his sights on as the deductions undid a good start to the contest.

It was a cagey start with both trying to find their range. Eashash was seeking to press, but also wary of the slick counterpunching of Walsh whose movement and fast hands saw him score with an eye-catching left and also pop out the jab as the Jordanian was left frustrated.

There wasn't a great deal of action in the opener, but Walsh swept the cards to give him a good start as he did enough to score with counters and long jabs.

Eashash knew he had to up it a gear to get close to the Belfast man in the second. Walsh was keen to keep the distance, pick off his opponent and frustrate, but was deducted a point after a number of warnings for not engaging and holding.

That narrowed the gap considerably as Walsh was just ahead on three cards, leaving it all to play for in the third.

Eashash continued to drive forward and make it a war with Walsh backing off in an effort to counter, but his style was not to the liking of the referee who would penalise him again and leave him needing to change tact.

Standing in the pocket and engaging played right into the hands of the Jordanian as Walsh tried to match his output, but the tide had turned and it is Paris for Eashash and into the box-offs for Walsh who will face Cuba's Jorge Cuellar in tomorrow's semi-final.