Ireland's youngest European Games boxing hopeful Brendan Irvine has dedicated his round-of-16 win to his late father.
The 19-year-old brushed aside Bulgaria's Tinko Banabakov on Friday morning to keep his Baku medal dreams alive.
Irvine, who is fighting in his first major championships overseas, pointed to the heavens after his light flyweight bout to pay his respects.
"That was for my dad James, who died at the age of 46 when I was just 11 years old. That's just for him," he told reporters. "I had started boxing then but he never saw me box. I just know he is watching over me now.
"It is a new experience for me. I'm just going out there and giving it 100 per cent. I'm the youngest member of the Irish boxing team and just mixing with the other boxers like (Olympic and world champion) Katie Taylor is an unbelievable experience.
"I know I can box better than I did today, but it was just good to get out there and make a winning start."
Irvine will come up against home favourite Salman Alizada in Monday's quarter-final clash.
Daniel Lewis
