Damien Hooper has become the first Australian boxer to book a berth at next year's London Olympics after reaching the quarter-finals at the World Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Hooper, who won the Youth Olympic title in Singapore in 2010 and became Australia’s first Indigenous boxer to win a junior world event, bowed out in the quarter-finals in Baku.

The light-heavyweight (81kg) fighter went agonisingly close to the medal rounds after being beaten on points 13:14 by Cuban Julio la Cruz.

The 19-year-old hails from Dalby in Queensland and now trains at the AIS in Canberra. Hooper was Australia’s last remaining fighter after Mark Basile and 2008 Beijing Olympian Luke Boyd both went down on points in the round of 16.

Moldova's Vasilii Belous beat Basile 18-9 while Boyd lost 17-7 to Anvar Yunusov of Tajikistan.

With the top-10 finishers granted Olympic berths, positions nine and ten are determined by the two boxers who lose in the round of 16 to the eventual finalists. This “lucky loser” scenario leaves Boyd with an anxious wait.

Boyd is in the unique position of cheering for his conqueror as Yunusov has progressed to the semi-finals and is one win away from earning his second Olympic appearance.

Unfortunately for Basile, his Moldovan opponent lost his quarter-final.

Basile and the other Australian male boxers will now have a final shot at Olympic qualification via the Oceania Championships in Canberra in March.

Hooper has secured the one and only spot for Oceania in his weight division. Subject to nomination from Boxing Australia and approval by the AOC Selection Committee he will have made the transition from Youth Olympian to Senior Olympian in under two years.

Australia’s female boxers, who are positioned highly in world rankings, need to wait until May 2012 for their World Championships and selection event. Women’s boxing is making its Olympic debut at the London Olympic Games.

AOC and AAP