Boxer Billy Joe Saunders took a step closer to becoming Britain's fifth Beijing Olympics qualifier after beating Russia's Andrey Balanov. The 18-year-old welterweight, who was representing England, scored an 18-13 victory over the 32-year-old European champion in Pescara, Italy.
"I knew I was going to win in the last round when coach Terry Edwards told me I was two points up," he said.
Saunders fights Poland's Michal Starbala on Tuesday.
Liverpool super-heavyweight David Price clattered Albanian Nelson Hysa into second-round retirement.
The 6ft 7ins Price led 16-5 when two big right hands prompted his opponent to throw in the towel.
Price's hopes of qualifying for Beijing via the World Championships had been shattered by a hand injury prior to his scheduled semi-final.
"I'm delighted to have got my first fight out of the way since the Worlds," said Price. "I was bit rusty but I felt all my punches go and there were no problems with my hand."
Price's fellow Liverpudlian Stephen Smith returned to form with a 19-9 win over Czech Antonin Lazok at featherweight.
He will next face Ireland's David Oliver Joyce, who got off the floor twice to beat Armenia's Azat Hovhannisyan.
Highly-rated middleweight James Degale also progressed to the last 16 of the middleweight competition with an impressive 18-5 victory over rangy Georgian southpaw Giorgi Nakani.
And Scarborough heavyweight Danny Price made it five wins out of five for England as he overcame Moldova's Mihail Muntean 15-5 to go through to the next stage.
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