Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O’Rourke both won their semi-final bouts at women’s boxing World Championship in Turkey making it a historic day for Irish boxing, putting two female Irish boxers in world finals for the first time.
Broadhurst outboxed India’s Parveen to win the light-welterweight semi-final by split decision.
Meanwhile, O’Rourke’s controlled effort earned a unanimous victory over Turkey’s Sema Caliskan.
Both combatants are guaranteed a silver medal and at least $50,000 in prize money.
Ireland’s only prior World Championship medalists are Olympic champion Kellie Harrington and unbeaten Katie Taylor.
Broadhurst, a former European junior and youth champion who has previously reached the quarter-finals, was more aggressive from the start and hit several early combinations.
Parveen improved during the round, but Broadhurst’s early exchanges awarded her the round’s first point.
The Indian fighter won a split second round as the 22-year-old attempted to put Broadhurst under pressure with a flurry of strikes, but the 25-year-old landed enough counter-punches to win two judges’ decisions and put her in a great position to reach the final.
Parveen needed a good final round to beat Broadhurst, so she came out strong again, but was frustrated by the Dundalk fighter, and a solid closing combination was enough for a 4-1 split-decision victory.
Broadhurst, who will compete for Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games this summer, will compete in Thursday’s final against Algeria’s Imane Khelif.
