Kelyn Cassidy fell to a unanimous-decision defeat to Aliaksei Alfiorau of Belarus in their 80kg quarter-final fight at the AIBA World Elite Men’s Boxing Championships.
It was a disappointing night in Belgrade for the Waterford man as he missed out on winning a medal in his first ever outing at the World Championships losing 30-27 across the board.
Cassidy struggled to keep up with his fellow southpaw in the opening rounds and was beginning to lose ground on the scoreboard.
Alfiorau was able to get the better of the Irish senior champion with slicker footwork and cleaner backhand counters throughout the contest.
The Irishman can hold his head high as he never gave up and finished stronger than his opponent in the last two rounds, but it wasn't enough.
The 24-year-old's performance at the Worlds means he secures €20,000 in World Class-tier funding from Sport Ireland next year, which will help him be able to train as an elite athlete and reach his true potential.
Cassidy was the only member of his team to progress beyond their first fight.
Just as in 2019, Ireland go home empty handed from a tournament where medals have been scarce.
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