Pat McCormack: Sheffield-based welterweight through to quarter final at Tokyo Games

Pat McCormack’s best-laid plans to wrap up his amateur career with Olympic gold and a bit of revenge into the bargain moved a step closer to fruition on Tuesday when he won his first bout in the men’s welterweight division.
By Mark Staniforth, PA Olympics Correspondent, Tokyo
Published 27th Jul 2021, 13:28 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The 26-year-old world number one, who trains at the English Institute of Sport, scored a comfortable unanimous decision victory over Aliaksandr Radzionau of Belarus to reach the quarter finals.

McCormack has made no secret of his intention to shed his amateur vest after Tokyo and turn professional alongside his twin brother Luke, who also made it through to the last eight in the lightweight division on Sunday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And he can think of no better way of doing so than a final win over Russian Andrey Zamkovoy, who beat McCormack on cuts in the world final in 2019, a perceived injustice that even McCormack’s subsequent win in the Olympic qualification could not entirely erase.

Pat McCormack (L) of Great Britain exchanges punches with Aliaksandr Radzionau of Belarus.Pat McCormack (L) of Great Britain exchanges punches with Aliaksandr Radzionau of Belarus.
Pat McCormack (L) of Great Britain exchanges punches with Aliaksandr Radzionau of Belarus.

“There’s no bigger prize than Olympic gold and it is something I have dreamed of since I watched Anthony Joshua and Luke Campbell in London and thought, ‘I can do that,’” said McCormack.

“This is the end of the amateurs and after that it’s on to the pros and the next chapter.

“The last time I beat the Russian I said to him at the end of the fight, it’s 1-1 and the next one is the Olympic final. Hopefully in my next fight I’ll get another win over him and finish my amateur career with a gold medal.”

Lightweight Caroline Dubois made it through to the last 16 on Tuesday, but heavyweight Cheavon Clarke crashed out at the same stage.

Related topics:SheffieldBelarus