Michael Conlan survived a last minute knockdown to create boxing history on Wednesday night, becoming the first Irishman to win an AIBA World Boxing Championship title.

– Boxing: Pacquiao to retire in 2016 after final fight
– Abu Dhabi Warriors: Buentello triumphs over Sokoudjou
– Fight Club: UFC has heavyweight problem

Conlan, 23, said it was the first time he had ever been knocked down in his life but he still clung on to claim the bantamweight title (56kg) at the championships in Doha.

The Belfast boxer, already the European and Commonwealth champion, won a rugged encounter against Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev.

The pair went toe-to-toe but Conlan had moved narrowly ahead on points by the time they entered the final round. In desperation, the Uzbek threw a big right hook in the final minute which connected with Conlan’s chin to send the Irishman sprawling.

Clearly shaken, Conlan held on for the final few seconds to win his country’s first ever gold. Bizarrely, the judges gave Conlan the final round, which was harsh on Akhmadaliev.

“I’m a world champion! There’s not much more I can say to be honest. I’m a bit speechless,” he said afterwards. “I have never been put down in my life, head shot or body shot. But sweet on the chin and I was down, but it’s a testament to my fitness, you know,” he said.

Elsewhere, a new star of Cuban boxing was born when the babyfaced Joahnys Argilagos took gold, aged just 18.

The stylish teenager danced, bobbed and weaved his way to the title in the light-flyweight division (46-49kg), and, like Conlan, even overcame being knocked down in the final round.

Argilagos said afterwards that he had “prepared well” for the tournament and wanted more medals.

“Now I am the world champion, I want to win gold in Rio,” he said about next year’s Olympics.

Argilagos, nicknamed the “small giant”, did just enough in the first two rounds to take the title, the first gold medal of the tournament.

He outsmarted Russia’s Vasili Egorov and was cruising to the title before near disaster struck in the third, when he was floored by a right and received a count of eight. But the judges decided the title was still his.

It was one of two gold medals Cuba took on the night with Arlen Lopez winning in the Middleweight (75kg) division. But Erislandy Savon missed out at heavyweight (91kg), losing somewhat surprisingly to Russia’s Evgeny Tishchenko.

Russia also won gold at lightwelterweight (64kg) with Vitaly Dunaytsev beating Uzbekistan’s Fazliddin Gaibnazarov.