Joe Ward Rescues Career with Valiant Artjom Kasparian Win

Joe Ward has salvaged his professional boxing career by defeating Artjom Kasparian via unanimous decision after a grueling 10-round contest at Dublin's 3Arena.

Ward, once a celebrated amateur prodigy and Ireland's youngest ever senior European gold medalist at 17 in 2011, faced significant setbacks. Despite becoming an Olympian, his amateur career was plagued by misfortune, and his professional debut ended in defeat with a dislocated knee.

This fight at the 3Arena was Ward's first since 2024 and served as his opportunity to return to prominence.

Ward started strongly, utilizing his southpaw stance to land sharp punches to Kasparian's body and head, even causing a nick near his opponent's right eye. However, Kasparian remained aggressive, testing Ward's chin with consecutive right hooks to the jaw in the third round, pushing the Irishman to his limits.

Kasparian continued to press forward, refusing to back down. Ward appeared to tire, leaning into clinches and punching with his arms, leaving his head vulnerable to Kasparian's powerful shots. The Manchester-based fighter maintained a strong offensive throughout the middle rounds, at times overwhelming Ward, who seemed on the verge of defeat.

Despite the pressure, Ward displayed remarkable heart and resilience. In the seventh round, he landed strong backhands to push Kasparian back. Seizing a second wind, Ward began to control the action in the eighth round with a decisive one-two combination to Kasparian's head. The crowd erupted as Kasparian was forced near the ropes.

In the ninth round, Ward continued his assault with precise left hooks and crosses, staggering Kasparian. He followed up with a sustained combination, though Kasparian managed to land a one-two himself. Despite a cut under his right eye, Ward engaged fiercely in exchanges, keeping the pressure on Kasparian even as he tried to retreat.

The final round saw a determined Kasparian fighting back, but Ward answered in kind, raising his arms in triumph at the final bell.

Earlier in the evening, Stevie McKenna delivered a sensational performance, stopping Owen O'Neill in the first round with a devastating right hand. Sam Hickey, the slick Scottish middleweight prospect, secured his second consecutive win with a powerful one-punch knockout of Brad Axe in the seventh round. Louis Greene defeated Daniel Buciuc by unanimous decision (59-55) after a tough six-round bout. Connor Coyle also won by unanimous decision (98-92, 98-93, 97-93) over Mark Beuke in a bruising 10-round fight. American cruiserweight prospect Patrick O'Connor remained undefeated, stopping Juan Manuel Moriel in the first round due to a shoulder injury.