Gráinne Walsh pictured after defeating Spain's Mariana Soto Torres at the round of 16 stage of the world championships in Liverpool on Monday. Walsh boxes in her semi-final this evening.

Offaly's Gráinne Walsh boxes for place in world championship final this evening

Adrian Cusack

Published: Fri 12 Sep 2025, 11:31 AM

Last updated: Fri 12 Sep 2025, 11:37 AM

Gráinne Walsh will step into the ring at approximately 6.30pm this evening (Friday) as she competes for a place in the 65kg final of the world boxing championships in Liverpool.

The 29-year-old Tullamore woman recorded the biggest win of her career on Wednesday evening as she defeated China's Yang Liu, the 2024 Olympic silver medallist and former world champion, to guarantee herself a bronze medal at least.

Gráinne will now face another very tough test in the form of Kazakhstan’s Aida Abikeyeva, a world gold medallist and 2024 Asian champion.

All of the bouts at the world championships are being streamed live, free-to-view, on: eurovisionsport.com/en

Speaking after the win on Wednesday which guaranteed her a first world medal, Walsh said: "I'm so lucky with (the championships) being in Liverpool - I've got some really good support from home - and I have to give a shoutout to my teammates.

"I know how hard it is to be out of competition and having to put your feelings to the side for the rest of the team. I'm just so grateful to all of them, and to my coaches.

"This is one moment that everyone gets to see - no-one actually sees the amount of hardship it takes to get here - but reactions and feelings like I have now make every bit of it worthwhile," she said.