Ivy-Jane Smith and Delicious Orie suffer bumps on road to Paris Olympics at World Boxing Cup in Sheffield

Smith, who lives in the Steel City, was defeated by 2023 European Under-22 bronze medallist Kloetzer despite a late rally after the German asserted dominance through a string of clean strikes early on.

The flyweight’s hopes of reaching Paris 2024 are now uncertain following the result – which means she is out of the tournament – with the GB Open at the English Institute of Sport in Attercliffe viewed as a warm up for the second Olympic qualifier in Milan in March.

Following the defeat, the Southampton-born fighter told The Yorkshire Post: “Well, I’m devastated obviously.

“I’ve given it everything I could, especially in the last round.

“I don’t think I got the timing quite right, but you know it’s my fourth fight after five years out so I just need to put it right really.”

Despite the result, the 24-year-old still holds hopes of being selected for the all-important flight to Lombardy.

“To be honest, it’s done now,” she added. “There’s not much I can do. It’s gutting, but I can only go back and have a little look at it, put the things that went wrong right, and hopefully be ready for a big year.

“I’ve still got time and I’m still looking for the qualifiers, looking to go and just take it from there.”

Earlier on day one of the four-day event, already-qualified GB boxer Delicious Orie suffered a split-decision loss to another German opponent in the form of Nelvie Tiafack in the super heavyweight bout.

Despite starting strongly and looking a good bet for victory in the first round of three, the 26-year-old fell foul of a revival by former European champion Tiafack – whose lengthy but powerful hooks proved decisive by the final bell.

Orie, however, was not too disheartened in defeat and has his eyes now firmly locked on Paris 2024.

“We’re just focusing on the long picture,” he said. “I faced a really good opponent today so all respect to him.

“He was European champion in 2022 so he’s a very good level, a good opponent and someone I know I’ll meet in the Olympics, so it’s what I needed.

“At the end of the day, all that matters really is the Olympics and we’re working towards that.”

It was Orie’s first fight on home soil since securing gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, having not appeared after winning last summer’s European Games.

Ahead of his long-awaited Olympic bout on the banks of the River Seine, the heavyweight fighter knows there is still plenty of work to put in.

“I’m going to have plenty of bouts,” added Orie. “The key now is avoiding injury and getting into as many international sparring camps, tournaments and training sessions as possible to come out on top.”

The GB Open continue with two sessions a day until the finals on Saturday. Tickets available at www.seetickets.com and HERE