Simmons advances at World Championships but Ireland's Barnes sent home

GREAT Britain's Steve Simmons continued his impressive start to the World Boxing Championships with a second round victory over Australia's Mostyn Niemann.

Simmons opened his account by defeating Kenya's Elly Ajowi 13-3 before overhauling Niemann and will now face European light heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk on Tuesday.

The Leith heavyweight held a three-point lead going into the final round against Niemann before a powerful late finish saw him win 11-4.

"I just dominated him from the opening bell with stiff jabs and left hooks," said Simmons.

"This Ukranian guy Usyk was in the last Olympic Games at heavyweight and he is quite handy but I am very confident after winning my first two fights.

“I’ve been training with my uncle Kenny and my aim is to win more bouts inside the distance. It’s a good start but I'm not kidding myself – there are big dangers out there like the Russian Egor Mekhontsev.

“He beat me at the European Championships but it was closer than the scoreline suggested.”

And Great Britain team coach Kelvyn Travis admits Usyk will provide Simmons with his toughest test to date.

"This will be an difficult test for Simmons but I'm confident that Steve has got enough to go out there and give Usyk a tough scrap," said Travis.

"Simmons was too good for Niemann but he gave a convincing and commanding performance against a gritty opponent - I was very pleased with the fight."

Great Britain's boxers endured a mixed weekend with European champion Luke Campbell, Tommy Stubbs and Andrew Selby all crashing out.

But Craig Evans emphatically stated his case with a 14-7 victory over Egypt's Mohamed Eliwa.

Evans is in Milan as part of the Welsh team after not being included in the British squad but went one better than his two countrymen Selby and Andy Jones by successfully negiotiating his first round bout.

Meanwhile, Ireland's Olympic bronze medallist Paddy Barnes was sent home from Italy for unacceptable behaviour following a 15-4 defeat by Kenya's Peter Munkai.

Barnes reacted furiously, kicking one of his gloves out of the ring before gesturing at a section of the crowd which was booing him.

It is not the first time Barnes has taken defeat badly after criticising the judges following his semi-final defeat at the hands of China's Zou Shiming in Beijing.

And the light-flyweight could now face disciplinary action from world governing body the AIBA.

"This sport is all about discipline and there is no way that we can allow things like this to happen - he has let himself and his coaches down," said Irish Amateur Boxing Association president Dominic O'Rourke.

"The image of the sport is at stake so the world body are very tough when it comes to discipline and I wholeheartedly back them.

"There was a real threat the whole team could have been thrown out because it has happened before with other teams."