Ireland's travails in the Rio boxing ring continue as Katie Taylor has been knocked out of the quarter-final stage of the lightweight division to Finland's Mira Potkonen. It was an incredibly tight fight, with the final scorecards reading 39-37, 38-38, 37-39, before Taylor lost out on countback. It was felt that Taylor had won the third and fourth rounds, with a portion of the reaction focussing on the results of the judges' scorecards.
While much has been made of Billy Walsh's loss, he had very little to do with Katie's triumph four years ago. The absence of her father Pete, however, was conspicuous.
Bernard Dunne admitted on RTE that Taylor wasn't at her best: not evasive as she usually is as Taylor struggled to throw any combinations.
Robbed.
— Andy Lee (@AndyLeeBoxing) August 15, 2016
No point watching this shit judges are terrible
— Paddy Barnes OLY (@paddyb_ireland) August 15, 2016
I thought she'd done enough. Clearly won the third round and the judge went against her.
— Andy Lee (@AndyLeeBoxing) August 15, 2016
So disappointed for Katie Taylor but she owes nobody in Ireland anything. A great ambassador for Irish sport and a great Olympian.
— Mark O'Toole (@M_OToole) August 15, 2016
Our great champion @KatieTaylor has fallen 😢 but nothing will ever change her legacy 2 women's sport & boxing pic.twitter.com/jgYsSnMEIh
— clíona foley (@ponyyelof) August 15, 2016
Toughest interview I've ever had to watch....chin up @KatieTaylor you still inspired a generation and don't forget that!! So humble #iconic
— Niamh Briggs (@niamhbriggs15) August 15, 2016
Feel so sorry for Katie Taylor #IRL she is heartbroken
— 💞𝔸𝕠𝕚𝕗𝕖 (@lostirishgirl) August 15, 2016
Utterly heartbreaking interview with #katietaylor.
Emotionally KO'd
A portrait of utter devastation
Always a champion #Rio2016— Roy Curtis (@RoyCurtis68) August 15, 2016
'One of the biggest shocks I've seen in seven Olympics ringside'#Boxing pundit Steve Bunce on #KatieTaylor defeat at #Rio2016 #Olympics
— Francis Keogh (@HonestFrank) August 15, 2016
Heartbreak for Katie means that Michael Conlon is the only Irish boxer still at the games. There'll be plenty of analysis on the state of Ireland's High-Performance Unit in the coming days, but it's hard to look past the despondency at the moment.
