As previously reported on BoxingScene.com, Belfast bantamweight Michael Conlan boosted Ireland's battered Olympic boxing hopes with a solid 3-0 points win over Armenian Aram Avagyan on Sunday that put the world champion one fight away from a medal.
Conlan, a flyweight bronze medalist four years ago, and reigning Olympic women's lightweight champion Katie Taylor are the only two Irish boxers left in the competition out of eight who started.
Ireland won four medals in boxing at London 2012. Russian Vladimir Nikitin now stands between Conlan and at least another bronze, the guaranteed reward for all semi-finalists.
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor, who many consider to be the most popular athlete in Ireland, has been following the Olympic team very closely and believes he knows the exact reasons for their shortcomings in the Rio games.
"I've been there in Rio many times and what I was thinking when them fights were taking place, Paddy Barnes, he's a two-time Olympian, two time medallist, and he was defeated in the opening round. He was talking about his weight and he felt fatigued in there and I was thinking in my head, 'they went out too late,'" McGregor said.
"Brazil is an intense climate. Why do you think I'm out here [in Las Vegas for the Nate Diaz rematch] eight weeks prior? This is desert air out here; it's completely different. You go from beautiful Ireland into these type of environments, it affects your preparation, it affects your breathing, your performance. That is an issue that, maybe, they left it too late. We've been doing good. I still think we're going to medal."