Sema Çalışkan defeated Morelle McCane today in a tight bout ©IBA

Turkey's Sema Çalışkan took herself one step closer to a medal in the under-70 kilogram tournament by defeating American Morelle McCane on the fifth day of the International Boxing Association (IBA) Women's World Boxing Championships.

Çalışkan fed off the home crowd at the Başakşehir Youth and Sports Facility here in Istanbul, winning the favour of three judges in the first two rounds. 

With something to prove, McCane went all out to salvage something from the match and was almost rewarded with the victory, winning the last round 10-8 with three judges and 10-9 with two.

The 10-9 scores were the difference between a loss and a win, as the Turkish boxer held on for a 3-2 split decision victory to progress to the quarter-finals.

She next faces Poland's Daria Parada who came from behind to defeat Mongolia's Erdenetuya Enkhbaatar 4-1 on a split decision.

On the same side of the bracket, Ireland's Lisa O'Rourke, who celebrated her 20th birthday today, got the perfect gift - her arm raised after beating Maria Moronta of Dominican Republic unanimously.

Lisa O'Rourke won by unanimous decision in her under-70kg bout ©IBA
Lisa O'Rourke won by unanimous decision in her under-70kg bout ©IBA

Ani Hovsepyan of Armenia meets her in the next round after beating Japanese boxer Arisa Tsubata unanimously.

Two African boxers are to meet in the quarter-finals on the other side, after Mozambique's Alcinda Panguane and the Fair Chance Team's (FCT) Cindy Djankeu, collected respective wins.

Olympic quarter-finalist Panguane forced a referee's stoppage in the second round in her bout with Brianda Cruz of Mexico, who was checked for a concussion following the conclusion of round one.

Djankeu - a Cameroonian-born refugee living in England and representing FCT - was in control against India's Lovlina Borgohain, taking a 4-1 split decision victory.

Kaye Frances Scott from Australia will be confident heading into the last eight after beating Uzbekistan's Khadichabonu Abdullaeva from Uzbekistan unanimously.

Her opponent in the quarter-finals - Valentina Khalzova from Kazakhstan - won by the same score against South Korean Seon Su-jin.

The late matches saw Turkey win twice to send fans home happy.

Şennur Demir won the only over-81kg bout of the day, defeating Lazzat Kungeibayeva of Kazakhstan, while Elif Güneri won in the under-81kg against Mkateko Muriel Sithole of South Africa by a 4-0 split decision.

Elsewhere in the under-81kg category, Gulsaya Yerzhan of Kazakhstan defeated Ukraine's Olesia Krysiuk by unanimous decision - as did Pooja Rani of India against Timea Nagy from Hungary.