Olympic Boxing

[Flux]

Is Joshua seriously favourite?

I feel physically sick with the amount of hype this kid is getting. He'll have done really well to even medal, let alone win the gold. So much expectation on him already and he's not even been in the sport for a few years.

Might put something on Campbell.

Why on earth wouldn't he be a favourite? number 3 in the world, and should have won gold at the world championships in only his 2nd senior tournament.

Before anyone says anything, he won the 1st round with ease, let the Azerbaijani back in the 2nd round because he went to war with the Azerbaijani fighter (everyone else who tried that in the tournament with Majidov got knocked out) but then definitely won the 3rd round.

He also made the Russian's pick the lower ranked Omarov for the Olympics, after Anthony Joshua beat Kuzmin at a tournament earlier this year (both Kuzmin and Omarov are Euro champs beating Cammarelle in the final.)

He will find it tough winning gold of course, he's got rivals like Majidov, Omarov, Cammarelle, Savon etc But him and Majidov are rightfully joint favs, they've also been on the best form. It's not like he's been plastered across front or back pages though.

We've got the usual suspects who should also really be medalling. Campbell, Stalker, Evans, Selby all ranked in the top 3 in the world. We'll just see how they handle the pressure, hope they all have a great tournament.

[Chrismart]

Three is the magic number: Team GB's boxers targeting trio of golds at London 2012

Performance director Robert McCracken says success is vital for the continued development of the sport


Britain's boxers have been told they must achieve their target of three Olympic medals to guarantee the sport’s funding.

Performance director Rob McCracken says the future of the elite programme rests on the displays of the team of seven men and three women at London 2012.

“There are always medal targets for every tournament we go to,” said McCracken , who is also IBF champ Carl Froch’s trainer.

“The goal will be about three medals. That will be the minimum target for these Games. Three would be a success. Anything more would be fantastic.

“I’m confident we can do that and we’re going to win medals because that’s what creates the programme here. That’s what gives boxers the chance to have a career and a future.

“It’s my job and our job to go and win the medals – and we’ve got to win them.”

McCracken believes the squad will surpass their target of three medals – which they achieved at Beijing – and the squad is the nation’s largest and most talented yet.

The 10 include one world champion in Savannah Marshall, four world silver medallists, three European champions and seven ranked in the top 10 in their weights.

Captain Thomas Stalker is ranked the world’s top light-welterweight and the team are tipped for their best Games since winning two gold, one silver and two bronze in 1956.

“If we said we hope to go to London and nick something, it’s not the right message to send,” said McCracken.

“We’re among the best in the world, so let’s go and achieve something and win medals. We’re confident we can achieve the medal target.”

[yoz]

Why on earth wouldn't he be a favourite? number 3 in the world, and should have won gold at the world championships in only his 2nd senior tournament.

Before anyone says anything, he won the 1st round with ease, let the Azerbaijani back in the 2nd round because he went to war with the Azerbaijani fighter (everyone else who tried that in the tournament with Majidov got knocked out) but then definitely won the 3rd round.

He also made the Russian's pick the lower ranked Omarov for the Olympics, after Anthony Joshua beat Kuzmin at a tournament earlier this year (both Kuzmin and Omarov are Euro champs beating Cammarelle in the final.)

He will find it tough winning gold of course, he's got rivals like Majidov, Omarov, Cammarelle, Savon etc But him and Majidov are rightfully joint favs, they've also been on the best form. It's not like he's been plastered across front or back pages though.

We've got the usual suspects who should also really be medalling. Campbell, Stalker, Evans, Selby all ranked in the top 3 in the world. We'll just see how they handle the pressure, hope they all have a great tournament.

Hopefully we'll get some home-cooking, too.

[Sportofkings]

Hopefully we'll get some home-cooking, too.

I hope you dont, would be crap for me if some of the Irish were to be on receiving end of that home cooking. A controversy free olympics would speak well about Britains fairness in the Olympics.

[Dickie Smalls]

I really hope London's boxing isn't as corrupted as Beijing. I remember watching the Heavyweight semi's and final, complete BS scoring.

Sometimes I find the amateur scoring even more corrupted than it gets at the MGM Grand:smileysex

[weltercelt]

Anthony Joshua could have one arm , be blind in one eye and serious equilibrium problems and the british press would still be hyping him up as favourite.

[Flux]

Anthony Joshua could have one arm , be blind in one eye and serious equilibrium problems and the british press would still be hyping him up as favourite.

Yeah that's why David Price was completely hyped to the stars in Beijing last time, oh no wait he wasn't...

Majidov/Joshua are joint favs for good reason. Who else would you rank as favourite? Savon has the raw talent, but hasn't pulled it together yet at a big tournament, Omarov got a gift in qualifying against Hrgovic, and wasn't even in the top 10 before qualifying, and Cammarelle hasn't won a big tournament since 2009 World Amateur Champs.

The Kazak Dychko is my dark-horse.

[weltercelt]

my point is the british press are erseholes

i hope Joshua wins

[Flux]

my point is the british press are erseholes

i hope Joshua wins

True, sorry pal I've just been waiting for the Olympic boxing for ages.

I honestly think Ireland's best hope is John Joe Nevin in terms of men, he definitely seems like he has Luke Campbell's number, be interesting to see how he would cope against Alvarez.

Darren O'neill's going right? He's got a good chance if he's there.

[Ryan RFC]

I hope to see the Brits flourish at the games, if only to give the domestic scene a shot of adrenaline that it has been needing after the last couple of months. I'd like to see performances that would make me look forward to following their careers, hopefully with a few gold medals thrown in there for good measure.