The Westmeath light heavyweight boxes in his second successive World Championships final in Hamburg, Germany, and faces a massive test.

Reigning European champion Ward is up against the man who beat him in the 2015 final (and the 2013 semi final) Julio Cesar La Cruz of Cuba.

Arguably the pound-for-pound #1 in amateur boxing, the Cuban maestro is targeting a fourth consecutive World Championships gold to add his Olympic gold, American Championships gold, and two Panamerican Games golds.

Both received byes to the Last 16. Ward easily defeated Georgian Iago Kiziria and Belarussian Mikhail Dauhaliavets, before edging past Uzbek Bektemir Melikuziev in the semis.

La Cruz swatted aside the challenges of Mexican Rogelio Romero, German Ibragim Bazuev, and the man who beat Ward at the Rio Olymics – awkward Ecuadorian Carlos Mina.

You can bet on the decider via BetVictor.com.

Unsurprisingly, #1 seed La Cruz is the favourite, and is 1/4 to complete a three-peat against Ward.

The Irishman is 11/4 to pull off the upset.