Team GB selects six boxers to compete at Paris Olympics including next Anthony Joshua

07/06/2024 14:35

Team GB has announced its boxing squad for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.

Six boxers – three men and three women – will fly to the French capital this summer to represent Great Britain at the tournament, which is set to take place from July 27 to August 10.

Super-heavyweight Delicious Orie, heavyweight Pat Brown, light-middleweight Lewis Richardson, middleweight Chantelle Reid, welterweight Rosie Eccles and bantamweight Charley Davison have all made the cut.

Richardson was the last to secure his spot, having just qualified last week at the final Olympic quota in Thailand.

Meanwhile, Davison is the only member of the squad to have boxed at the previous Olympics in Tokyo.

The 30-year-old was defeated in the quarter-finals three years ago by Chinese boxer Yuan Chang at flyweight but has since moved up two weight classes.

Perhaps Great Britain’s best chance at medalling is Orie, who won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 European Games.

The Russian-born Brit has been branded ‘the next Anthony Joshua‘ by the British press and there are more than a couple of similarities between the pair.

Both started boxing at 18 years old, are of Nigerian descent, and have identical statures at 6ft 6in.

The nation will be hoping Orie can follow in the footsteps of his hero by winning Olympic gold, just like AJ did in 2012.

Speaking to talkSPORT.com ahead of the tournament, the 26-year-old super-heavyweight contender said: “The Olympics is the pinnacle of amateur boxing.

"I’ve been to the Worlds, Europeans and Commonwealths. They’re all very prestigious events but there is just something different about the Olympics.

“It truly is the best of the best coming together to show the world what we are about and I can really feel that just under three months out.

“God knows what it will be like when I get there. I’m excited, I can’t wait to be a part of it all and I hope to carry on the great things that GB boxing has achieved. It would mean everything to win a gold.”

Orie qualified alongside Blackpool’s Davison and Newport’s Eccles at the European Games – with the former winning bronze and the latter topping the podium in Krakow, Poland.

Brown and Reid secured a quota spot for the Games on the final day of the first world qualification tournament in Italy two months’ ago.

There are heavy expectations on Team GB heading into these Olympics after the Tokyo squad returned six medals, including two golds from Galal Yafai and Lauren Price.

“The GB boxers have always been an important and integral part of Team GB,” said Team GB Chef de Mission, Mark England.

“The six selected today bring real talent, character and personality to the team and we're all looking forward to seeing how they perform at the Games.

“In Performance Director Rob McCracken, the boxers have an exceptional mentor, who knows how to bring out their best performances. I'm excited to watch them compete.”