AIDAN Walsh got Ireland's boxers back to winning ways in Tokyo this morning as the Monkstown ABC welterweight produced a typically silky performance to defeat Cameroon's Albert Mengue Ayissi on a unanimous decision.

The 24-year-old from the Blacks Road is just one win from the podium as he boxed clever with his movement and sharper skills just far too much for Ayissi who was aggressive but untidy throughout and ended up penalised two points for punching behind the head.

It was a great Olympic debut for Walsh who was composed from the off and was simply too good for his African opponent and now boxes Merven Clair from Mauritius for a bronze medal on Friday morning (approx 4.50am Irish time).

"It's amazing to get the journey underway," he said afterwards.

"I just take each fight as it comes. It doesn't matter if it's an Olympic final, an All-Ireland final of Antrim final - every fight is important to me.

"It's just about listening to the coaches, listening to the tactics and going in there to implement them. The coaches got it right and I just do as they tell me so that's what it comes down to."

Walsh lands a jab
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Walsh lands a jab

The African began with aggression, but there was little finesse as the movement of Walsh to box off the back foot saw him into an early groove as he made Ayissi miss and pay with counters.

Walsh was composed and landed with a crisp right as Ayissi lunged in and while the man from Cameroon did get through at the end of the round, it was the Belfast fighter who was favoured by four of the five judges.

Ayissi continued to pour forward in the second, but was penalised with a point off early for punching to the back of the head. 

Walsh kept his composure to slip the assaults, allowing Ayissi to lunge and then counter with punches that were catching the eye and swept the second round.

It went from bad to worse for Ayissi in the third as he was deducted a second point for again punching behind the head. He continued to swing wildly with Walsh simply looking to stay out of danger as he was in an unassailable lead, so the Belfast man was on his bike, circling the ring as the wind was now out of Ayissi's sails, aware that there was no way back with Walsh concluding with a chopping right counter to leave absolutely no doubt as to who was the boss.

Aidan Walsh in action against Albert Mengue Ayissi
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Aidan Walsh in action against Albert Mengue Ayissi

It was the result the Irish team needed after a run of three defeats in the boxing tournament including Walsh's older sister Michaela who was there to cheer her brother on this morning.

"It's amazing she's here and I love her being at my fights," he said.

"She's actually calmed down a bit from the last few times as I think people were telling her off, but no, it's great support. Obviously I'm disappointed as we all are of every boxer who loses out here as we're all one team and we're here to win. We are disappointed when it doesn't go our way, but we come back and regroup and go again.

"To share this with my sister and the whole team is incredible. When we qualified together and came out here together is really special. It means a lot so I'm very grateful.

"Everyone here, their parents play a massive role, as do the girlfriends, the partners and everyone who sacrifices so much for us all. Even the coaches, they have families too and sacrifice so much so we're all in the same boat."

Walsh will now hope to secure Ireland's first boxing medal since the London Games when he faces Clair on Friday morning and join a special band of fighters from Belfast to do so including Paddy Barnes, Michael Conlan and Hugh Russell to name a few.

"I was actually talking to Hugh Russell before I came out here and he just told me to treat every fight like it's your last one on earth," Walsh continued.

"Back when they were fighting they didn't have videos of who they were fighting, so we're lucky our coaches have the videos to analyse and study our opponents. That advice has helped massively.

"I will just go back now, relax and see when I'm on the next day. The coaches will have the plan so I'll just listen to them and go out to do it again."