Michaela Walsh will return from the European Boxing Championships in Bulgaria with a bronze medal after losing her featherweight semi-final to Vladislava Kukhta. The Belfast boxer was defeated 4-1 on a split decision in a closely contested fight, ending her hopes of reaching the final but securing her third international podium finish of the year.

The bout was tactical and slow to develop, with Kukhta’s counter-punching and higher volume earning her an advantage, particularly in the second round. Walsh mounted a strong final-round effort, but it was not enough to overturn the judges’ scores of 29-28 in Kukhta’s favour on four cards, with the other judge scoring 29-28 for Walsh; she now turns her attention to next year’s Olympic qualifier.