TEAM Scotland will be aiming to make it a golden finish to a remarkable campaign in the boxing ring at the Commonwealth Games later today.
The boxing squad have already ensured our second largest medal haul in the last 52 years, with five guaranteed medals in Birmingham.
But now the three remaining boxers have an opportunity to create more history, by becoming the first squad to win three Gold medals.
Scotland have won two Gold medals at five separate Games (1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 2014), but have never claimed three in a single competition.
Out of the 55 Commonwealth countries who entered boxers at the Games, only India, England and Northern Ireland have more boxers into today’s Finals, illustrating what a fantastic achievement it has been South of the border this summer.
But behind all of the numbers, there are three fantastic Scottish boxers preparing for the biggest bout of their careers.
Middleweight Sam Hickey will be first in the ring at 11:45am, followed by Light-Heavyweight Sean Lazzerini at 12:15pm before Light-Welterweight Reese Lynch concludes the action at 3:15pm.
Dundee’s Hickey goes into his final against Australia’s Callum Peters supremely confident, after defeating the pre-tournament favourite yesterday in Lewis Richardson, the English poster child for the Games – with his face pinned across the NEC, by a stunning second round knockout.
The victory got revenge for the Lochee boxers defeat in the Semi-Finals of the European Championships earlier this year, as the 22-year-old became the first Scot in 16 years to medal at the senior Europeans.
“I put on a punch perfect performance in the Semi-Finals to show that I am here for one thing, and that is the Gold medal,” Hickey said.
“I am already confident, I am confident all the time.
“Every boxer should be confident, you should always have 100% confidence in yourself.
“You are never going to get anywhere or achieve what you want to achieve if you don’t aim as high as you can.
“You go through a lot in boxing, and I have a lot more to go through, a lot more ups and downs
“But I am just glad I am showcasing to everybody in the UK what I am able to do on this platform.
“I have turned up for this tournament and I am so confident going into the final.”
Sean Lazzerini will be next in the ring when he faces Welsh Light-Heavyweight Taylor Bevan in the 80kg Final.
The 25-year-old has been limited to only a handful of bouts over the past two and a half years after suffering serious hand injuries, which almost forced him to hang up his gloves.
The Barrhead boxer also lost his place on the GB Squad at the turn of the year, but has produced three fantastic boxing performances to book his place in the Final in what is his second appearance at the Games.
“The last three years I have been suffering injuries and everyone gave up on me,” Lazzerini said.
“And now I have just proved everyone wrong.
“I told everyone at the start when I came back I’m coming for everybody, and that’s what I am doing right now.
“I have another scalp to take, and that’s it.
“Tune in if you want to see someone get knocked out.”
Reese Lynch was the first Scottish boxer in the ring at the NEC nine days ago, and he will also be the last one out, as he faces Richarno Colin of Mauritius in the Light-Welterweight Final.
The 21-year-old Rob Roy boxer has produced some terrific performances so far in Birmingham, most notably defeating the defending champion Jonas Junias Jonas of Namibia in the Quarter-Finals.
But there is one final statement to come from the Fauldhouse boxer, as he prepares to face another opponent who also happened to box Josh Taylor as the current Light-Welterweight World champion won Gold at the Games in Glasgow in 2014.
“I am just going to keep emulating him,” said Reese, with Taylor having also defeated Namibia’s Jonas eight years ago in his Final.
“I know I can beat him, I can beat anyone on my day and I have already beaten the top boys to get here.
“I am the man to beat here, and everybody knows that now.
“I’ll go in there and do what I do best and he can try and beat me.”
Commonwealth Games 2022 – Finals Schedule;
Middleweight 75kg Final – Sam Hickey (Scotland) v Callum Peters (Australia), 11:45am.
Light-Heavyweight 80kg Final – Sean Lazzerini (Scotland) v Taylor Bevan (Wales), 12:15pm.
Light-Welterweight 63.5kg Final – Reese Lynch (Scotland) v Richarno Colin (Mauritius), 3:15pm.
Photo Credit: Andy Chubb.
