GALAL YAFAI, a former car factory worker from Solihull, delivered Team GB’s first boxing gold of the Tokyo Olympics.
The flyweight fighter overcame former Filipino street vendor Carlo Paalam over three three-minute rounds at the Kokugikan Arena – the spiritual home of sumo.
The 28-year-old – who quit work at the Land Rover firm in the Midlands to pursue the noble art – was ahead on four of the five judges’ scorecards and has now joined the showroom of British boxing champions.
The lucrative professional route will be his next target even though the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 12 months’ time would normally have been an appealing proposition, especially as he won gold at light flyweight on the Gold Coast in 2018.
Paalam started quickly and connected well with his early punches but was caught and knocked down by a brilliant left-hander from Yafai halfway through the first round.
In the second round, Paalam was warned by the referee for the use of his head and from there on it was Yafai’s fight to lose.
All Yafai had to do was stay out of trouble in the final round and remain on his feet for the 180 seconds.
And Yafai, whose family have a British-Yemen heritage, did just that to secure finally a boxing medal for his family after 13 years of trying.
Yalai is the first Brit to win in the flyweight division since Terry Spinks at the 1956 Melbourne Games.
The Brit, who was well beaten in his first bout of the Rio 2016 Games, watched on TV as sibling Kal lost to a difficult Cuban in the Last 16 of the flyweight competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Kal has since become the WBA super flyweight world champion, and he tweeted his delight at his brother’s victory, saying: “Alhumdililah!!! My brother Galal Olympic champion!!! I’m lost for words!!! Olympic champion!!!! Olympic champion!!!!”
And speaking after securing gold Yafai told the BBC: “It’s something I’ve always want to do, to be Olympic champion. Now I’m Olympic champion and I’m over the moon.
“I’ve worked hard, took up boxing and thank God it’s worked out for me.
“I bet they’re over the moon all my friends and family. The support I’ve had from back home has been ridiculous.
“It’s overwhelming I’m so grateful for the support I’ve got.
“I’m so determined to win, I’ve got that heart and desire to win and it’s worked out for me today.”
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This result means Britain have won at least one gold medal at four successive Olympics, a credit to head coach Rob McCracken who took over 11 years ago.
Lauren Price, a former South Wales taxi driver, should double that tally when she faces China’s Li Qian tomorrow on the final day of the competition.
The middleweight boxer has been tipped to win gold even before she set foot in the Far East.
Whatever happens from now on, the British boxing camp will return to the UK shores in the next 48 hours with six medals – a record for an overseas Games, and one that eclipses the five won at the London 2012 Games.
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
