By David Hennessy

Katie Taylor has qualified for the London 2012 Olympics. Ireland's dominant female pugilist received a walkover in her quarter-finals at the World Amateur Championships in China.

Taylor was due to meet Michaela Lacatus of Romania but she pulled out due to a neck injury, handing Taylor a bye into the semi-finals and one of the three Olympic places.

Taylor is aiming for her fourth AIBA World title in-a-row and will now meet Chorieva in Friday’s lightweight semi-final at around 8am Irish time.

"It's a dream come true, I just can't believe it really," Taylor commented. "It's just years and years of hard work really to get here, now I'm going to be an Olympian.

"We'll enjoy this walkover today and this qualification but tomorrow it's back to focusing on the semi-finals," she said.

"It's important to go into the Olympics as the current world champion so that's going to be a huge motivation as well."

Her father and coach Peter, a former Irish amateur champion, expressed his pride: "I was proud of her long before this moment, she's had an amazing career and being an Olympian was never going to define who Katie was," he said.

By Damian Dolan

Such is the richness of John O’Donnell’s Irish accent you’d be forgiven for thinking that he only recently bid Ireland a fond farewell before packing his bags for London.

Born and bred in London, though, O’Donnell owes his thick Irish brogue to his Galway parents, who made Shepherd’s Bush their home in the mid-1980s.

But the O’Donnell family would bring with them to London more than just a determination to make a new life for themselves - they’d bring a passion for boxing, which would consume the eight-year-old John from the day he and some of his cousins were taken to the gym by his father and uncle for the first time.

“As soon as I walked into a boxing gym I knew boxing was for me – I’ve loved it ever since,” said O’Donnell. “All I’ve ever done sports wise is boxing.”

Now 26, and after a year out of the ring, the former British champion is preparing to make his return to action on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s much anticipated clash with Martin Rogan in Belfast on April 14.

Eight years after turning pro, it’s an opportunity to get his career back on track since losing to Craig Watson last year for the vacant British welterweight title, as well as to announce his step up to light middleweight.

O’Donnell takes on Lee Noble at the Odyssey Arena and while the majority of eyes will be on Fury versus Rogan, after some of their refreshing but unusual pre-fight goings on at their press conferences, for O’Donnell it’s a huge moment as he begins his comeback.

“I’m looking forward to it and it’s going to be a massive fight between Tyson Fury and Martin Rogan,” he said.

“These are the big shows that I want to be on. Obviously I’m used to being the main event – my last three or fours fights I’ve been the main event so this is the first fight in a while on the undercard – but I’m really looking forward to it.”

O’Donnell’s last fight was against Watson in February 2011 at Wembley Arena. It was a rematch of their meeting two years earlier which saw O’Donnell crowned Commonwealth welterweight champion.

Their rematch last year would prove another tight contest, with the decision this time going the way of Watson and inflicting just a second defeat of his eight-year pro career on O’Donnell. It also promoted some serious soul searching.

“Last year the weight really started to catch up with me - welterweight was really becoming a struggle and a chore in the gym,” said O’Donnell.

“I was going into the gym tired and hungry and leaving the same way, which shouldn’t be the case. You should be going in there and enjoying every minute of it. My body was telling me to move up.

“My last couple of fights at welterweight were really becoming hard and I knew after the Terrance Cauthen fight that the weight was becoming an issue. I was sweating really hard to get the weight off.

“That was the hardest I’ve ever found it to make welter weight. I knew that whatever happened in that fight, win or lose, that I was going to have to step up to light middleweight.

“After that [Watson] fight I went away and just let myself go and ballooned right and put on a lot of weight. I needed a break to get my head right and get my body right.

“Five or six months ago I decided I really had to knuckle down and get my head right. I’ve stepped up to light middleweight now and I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring. I knew I had to step up light middleweight and now I have I’ve got a good team around me.”

Light middleweight is clearly where O’Donnell now sees his future and that future could even include a shot at an Irish title, if things go to plan.

“I’ve always said to Mick [promoter Mick Hennessy], if we could get the Irish title it would be brilliant. I’d love to get back there and box for the Irish title,” he said.

For the full story, please pick up this week's Irish World....

By David Hennessy

Katie Taylor beat Jessica Belder 27-4 in Sunday night's Ireland versus Holland international at the Cavan Crystal Hotel.

Taylor beat Belder 25-5 at the National Stadium in Dublin on Friday and recorded a similarly comprehensive victory this time.

The Bray BC lightweight, the current World and European champion, is preparing for the AIBA World Championships and only Olympic qualifier for female boxers in China in May.

By David Hennessy

Ireland kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the World Twenty20 with a 10-wicket victory over Canada.

A superb bowling performance, in which George Dockrell and Max Sorensen both took three wickets, restricted Canada to 106-8.

Fit-again Trent Johnston claimed two for nine from four overs.

Paul Stirling hit 61 not out from 32 balls, and William Porterfield an unbeaten 42, as Ireland completed the run-chase with 10.3 overs to spare.

Despite the impressive batting performance of the openers, Johnston was named man of the match for his efforts with the ball.

Ireland will face the winners of Thursday's contest between Scotland and the Netherlands in their next game on Friday.

A victory for the Irish will set up a clash against the losers of Thursday afternoon's match between the two group winners, Namibia and Afghanistan, to determine the second and final place in Sri Lanka, alongside the other 10 competing nations.