Cavan's Smith loses to majority decision

Cavan’s star female boxer Ceire Smith has failed in her latest bit to reach Rio 2016 after bowing out of the World Women’s Championships and Olympic qualifiers in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The Cavan BC flyweight was the only Irish fighter in action on day one in Kazakhstan, but she lost a majority decision to Ingrit Valencia in the opening round of the 51kg division, another of the Olympic weight classes.

Valencia has already secured her place at the Olympics having beat USA star Virginia Fox in the Pan-Am Games. However, she lost the final of the Pan-Ams to Canadian Mandy Bujold, a friend and sparring partner of Smith's whom the Ballyhaise southpaw has held her own against in the past.

While Smith, the only Irish boxer in action today, impressed to take the first round on all three cards, Valencia went on to claim the final three rounds of the fight to secure victory against the Irishwoman.

As expected, the 51kg division – an Olympic weight – has attracted a huge field, with 49 boxers taking their chance in an event which doubles as the final qualifier for Rio.

Smith needed to reach at least the last four of the Astana competition to secure qualification.

Italian Marzia Davide is the top seed, with GB's Nicola Adams, the Olympic champion who beat the Italian to qualify, seeded fifth.

Russian powerhouse Elena Paveleva is in at two with China's four-time world champion Ren Cancan also in the bottom half of the draw.

Other Irish fighters, Dervla Duffy, Moira McElligot, Kelly Harrington and Christina Desmond are set to stand between the ropes tomorrow.

Italy’s Irma Testa meets Sweden’s Agnes Alexiusson at 2pm this afternoon (Irish time) in the lightweight class, with the winner set to face Katie Taylor who received a bye to Saturday's round.