Broadhurst beat Polish lightweight, Aneta Rygeilska, and Desmond eliminated Canada’s No. 5 seed and Pan American finalist, Myriam Da Silva. Potkonen, who, next month, when she turns 39, will be one year shy of the mandatory retirement age for amateur boxers, beat Ecuador’s Marie Palacios yesterday and still has a “great motor on her”, according to Irish coach, Damian Kennedy.

The fight with Broadhurst is a repeat of the European Elite semi-final, which Potoken, the No. 1 seed in Siberia, won en route to gold in Madrid in August. “I thought Madrid was a close contest, where Amy won the first round well,” said Broadhurst Snr, who coaches his daughter at the Dealgan BC.

Potkonan won the third and the second was close. I think, if Amy can produce three rounds of her very best boxing, she can beat Potkonen, but she can’t afford anything other than that.

Desmond, meanwhile, reckons Turkish welter Busenas Surmeneli will be a tough one today. “Hold your ground,” was the advice from Irish head coach, Zaur Antia, after the end of the first round with Da Silva, while Desmond was heard remarking that “she’s jumping in on me”. Desmond held her ground and appeared to drop the Canadian with a left hook in the second frame, but that was ruled a slip.

“I am very happy with my performance. A bit slippy, but felt like she didn’t want to box. The Turk is very good, but myself and my coaches will talk tactics tomorrow. My main focus is recovery now,” said Desmond, who boxes out of Fr Horgan’s BC on Leeside.

Broadhurst and Desmond box between 12 noon and 12.30pm Irish time today.