Team GB's Boxing squad.

The World Amateur Championships next month is the first qualifier for the Olympics in 2012. Although this is a prestigious tournament in its own right, for many of the Team GB the first priority will be to reach the quarter finals and thus qualify for the games. I have decided to give a rundown of Team GB squad and my opinion of how they will fare at 2012.


Light Flyweight: Charlie Edwards
Won his first ABA title this year and followed it up with a bronze in the European Championships in his first senior international. Decent chance of qualifying, but will struggle to medal in 2012. Prediction: Qualify

Flyweight: Andrew Selby/ Khalid Yafei
Selby must surely be in the driving seat for this spot. Gold Medallist at the Europeans should confirm his place in team GB’s World Champions squad. Should qualify, and an outsider for a medal. Prediction: Quarterfinals

Bantamweight: Luke Campbell
In my opinion, Team GB’s beast hope for a medal. Gold medallist at the 2008 European Championships. Spent almost a year out of the ring after that victory, he’s back and should qualify for the Olympics. Prediction: Bronze

Lightweight: Martin Ward
I don’t know an awful lot about Ward, but with the talent at lightweight It will be difficult to win a medal. Prediction: Unsure

Light Welterweight: Tom Stalker
Another with a good chance to medal. Won Silver at the Europeans, although was comfortably beaten by Irishman Moylette in the final. With a decent draw he should be sniffing around the medals. Prediction: Bronze

Welterweight: Fred Evans
Won Gold at the recent Europeans, so is in the box seat for the Welterweight position. Again should qualify and be in with a shout of a medal. Prediction: Quarterfinals

Middleweight: Anthony Agogo
I’m not impressed with Agogo at all. Won Silver in Dehli when he famously defeated Vijender Singh without landing a scoring punch. Was comfortably beaten by Eamonn O’kane in the final though. Prediction: Will not qualify

Light heavyweight: Obed Mbwakongo
Where Ireland has strength in depth at this weight, team GB have a real dearth. Mbwakongo is the only Light-heavy in the GB podium squad, but is far from World class. Prediction: Will not qualify

Heavyweight: Simon Valilly
I’m really impressed with Valilly from what I’ve seen. He’s athletic and hits hard but is a relative novice still. He’s has all the tools though to be a top class amateur. Prediction: Qualify

Super-Heavyweight: Anthony Joshua
Again I don’t know an awful lot about Joshua. But the reigning Champion Cammarelle of Italy is top class, and will be the man to beat again. Prediction: Unsure

Campbell and Stalker I think will win Golds. Agogo Bronze and Evans Silver.

I think and hope that Britain will badly struggle at the Olympics. If any of them get a medal it will probably be Campbell imo. Although I very much doubt it.

The Cuban Roniel Iglesias is the star man to watch out for in 2012 imo. He's had a glittering amateur career and has been over here and won tournaments before. Hopefully he will defect and turn pro afterwards.

Why do you hope for Britain to do bad PB?

I think the Olympics is a horrible waste of money at a time when Britain is skint. Single Mums are getting their benefits cut and the government are spending millions on stadium for Olympics that in the whole most people don't care about. No one cares about most Olympic sports I don't see it as anything other than a huge waste of money to promote mainly minority sports.

But the money has been spent, Britain doing badly wont change that.

Hope we do better than you predict 6oldenboy.

There's a year to go Scott, so its still all to play for. However, The AIBA recently released their rankings based on performance in the last two years and only three British fighters appeared in the top ten in their respective divisions. Selby and Yafei at Flyweight, and Evans at Welterweight. Obviously Campbell was injured during this period so that reflects his low ranking, but the rankings seem to endorse my thoughts that team GB could struggle.

Prettyboykev, I am Irish so there may be a bit of bias in me, but I think Joe Ward could be the boxer of the tournament. He was World Junior and Youth Champion in 2009 and 2010 respectively, defeated Egan in his first senior Irish tournament and then was crowned European Champion is year. All this before the age of eighteen and is now ranked number two in the World.

6oldenbhoy wrote:There's a year to go Scott, so its still all to play for. However, The AIBA recently released their rankings based on performance in the last two years and only three British fighters appeared in the top ten in their respective divisions. Selby and Yafei at Flyweight, and Evans at Welterweight. Obviously Campbell was injured during this period so that reflects his low ranking, but the rankings seem to endorse my thoughts that team GB could struggle.

Prettyboykev, I am Irish so there may be a bit of bias in me, but I think Joe Ward could be the boxer of the tournament. He was World Junior and Youth Champion in 2009 and 2010 respectively, defeated Egan in his first senior Irish tournament and then was crowned European Champion is year. All this before the age of eighteen and is now ranked number two in the World.

Apparently the Irish squad is very talented. I don't care how the Irish do tbh. I just want Britain to fail miserably at all the events for such a huge waste of money for sports the majority of the public don't care about.

If they all failed wouldnt all that money you care about be a waste anyway but if we succeed it may well generate at least some of the money back "wasted" in the first place?

If they all failed wouldnt all that money you care about be a waste anyway but if we succeed it may well generate at least some of the money back "wasted" in the first place?

Last chance coming up later this month in Turkey for those not already qualified. Generally either top 2 or 3 to qualify. Would be nice to get a few more GB boxers through but competition will be tough.

I posted an article last week at on the Boxing section about the Final Qualifier.

https://www.606v2.com/t26847-final-olympic-qualifier

When I can be bothered I'll amend some of my predictions.

I reckon GB will probably gain another spot, possibly another one or two.

Callum Smith has next to no chance in my opinion. Would need a very favourable draw to qualify. There's 3 spots left, and if youre going on form, Joe Ward takes one. This will be Smith's first tournament at the weight, and he was a Welter eighteen months ago.

Only one spot left at Heavy, and I don't see Baister taking it. A decent draw and you never know, but I wouldn't say he's any better than McCarthy of Ireland, and I don't expect him to qualify either.

Two spots at middle, and Ogogo could possibly take one. When he's on form, he's a match for anyone, but he is so inconsistent. Will need to be on top form, but whether he will be is a different story.

No idea about Maxwell at Lightweight. He has next to no international experience, but won Gold at the Bee Gee tournament a few weeks ago. I didn't follow it that closely, so I'm unsure as to the quality of opponent he was facing. Best of luck to him.

Four spots at Light Fly, Edwards has the class to take one. There's quite a few decent fighters in the draw,Paddy Barnes included, but I like the look of Edwards.

The hosts Turkey didn't qualify anyone at the Worlds, so I'd expect quite a few hometown decisions. Maybe i'm just cynical though...

Today's draw:

49kg: Charlie Edwards (England) v David Albrdian (Israel) or Aleksander Aleksandrov (Bulgaria) - last 16

60kg: Joe Cordina (Wales) v David Joyce (Ireland) - last 32


60kg: Josh Taylor (Scotland) v Miroslav Serban (Czech) - last 32


60kg: Sam Maxwell (England) v Albert Selimov (Russia) - last 32


75kg: Anthony Ogogo (England) v Fatlum Zuta (Macedonia) - last 16


81kg: Callum Smith (England) v Mladen Manev (Bulgaria) - last 32


91kg: Warren Baister (England) v Aboulaye Diane (France) - last 16

The 60kg boxers and Callum Smith box this evening (Sunday). Anthony Ogogo and Warren Baister box tomorrow, and Charlie Edwards boxes in the last 16 on Tuesday.

Results:

Josh Taylor and Sam Maxwell both won and are through to the last 16 in the 60kg class. Joseph Cordina lost though. 3 to qualify for London.

Calum Smith also won his opening fight to go through to the last 16 in the 81kg class. 4 to qualify for London.

That was a big win for Maxwell over a Russian former world champion. Obviously showing faith in the selectors. Potentially 2 wins away from qualifying for London

Anthony Ogogo won his first fight today (18 - 5) and is in to the quarter finals. He must get to the final to qualify for London.

6oldenbhoy wrote:I posted an article last week at on the Boxing section about the Final Qualifier.

https://www.606v2.com/t26847-final-olympic-qualifier

When I can be bothered I'll amend some of my predictions.

I reckon GB will probably gain another spot, possibly another one or two.

Callum Smith has next to no chance in my opinion. Would need a very favourable draw to qualify. There's 3 spots left, and if youre going on form, Joe Ward takes one. This will be Smith's first tournament at the weight, and he was a Welter eighteen months ago.

Only one spot left at Heavy, and I don't see Baister taking it. A decent draw and you never know, but I wouldn't say he's any better than McCarthy of Ireland, and I don't expect him to qualify either.

Two spots at middle, and Ogogo could possibly take one. When he's on form, he's a match for anyone, but he is so inconsistent. Will need to be on top form, but whether he will be is a different story.

No idea about Maxwell at Lightweight. He has next to no international experience, but won Gold at the Bee Gee tournament a few weeks ago. I didn't follow it that closely, so I'm unsure as to the quality of opponent he was facing. Best of luck to him.

Four spots at Light Fly, Edwards has the class to take one. There's quite a few decent fighters in the draw,Paddy Barnes included, but I like the look of Edwards.

The hosts Turkey didn't qualify anyone at the Worlds, so I'd expect quite a few hometown decisions. Maybe i'm just cynical though...

Joe Ward lost to a Turk this evening 18 - 15 in r16.

Yeah, gutted for him. From what I'm hearing it was a hometown decision. The Irish team are contemplating an appeal at the moment. Won't do them any good, I only know of one occasion where an appeal has been successful. But give the short turnaround between bouts I can't see it being sucessful. This is the second, that I know of, occasion in this tournament where the hometown fighter has got a favourable decision. Two other Irish Fighters face Turks tomorrow. Both may need knockouts.

Turkey has 5 quarter finalists so far with 4 left in r16. Only one casualty in bantamweights.

Looking forward to a whole lot of hometown decisions in London when it really matters.

Yeah I was reading that. Con Sheehan was just defeated by another Turk. It wasn't controversial from what I hear.

Not one Turk qualified at the World Championships, but seem to be doing very well here. Read into that what you wish.

Calum Smith won his second fight so he is now in the quarter finals.

Warren Baister also won his fight last night so he's now through to the quarter finals.

Josh Taylor won this afternoon so he's through to the quarters in the lightweight. Maxwell to fight shortly.

Looks like Charlie Edwards will be the last go, as he fights tonight to go through to the quarters for his weight.

Still on theoretically for GB to have London representation across all 10 weights. Only team to have done that so far is Australia.

No Olympics for Charlie Edwards as he lost his first fight. Ironically he was the most fancied by some to go through of all the GB boxers, but alomost the first to lose. So maximum representation for GB will be at 9 weights.

Maxwell won though but has a very tough fight next against the current Turkish European champion. Maybe the luck of the draw will allow Josh Taylor to go further.

GB represented in 4 quarter finals all of which will be fought tomorrow.

Josh Taylor secures GB representation in lightweights for London by winning (easily) his quarter final this afternoon.

That makes 6 weights.

Calum Smith joins Josh Taylor in the semis. Maxwell lost though.

Ogogo and Baister fight this evening (local time).