Olympics: Boxing

Tom Stalker ready for war against Manoj Kumar

LIVERPOOL’S Tom Stalker promised boxing fans WWIII when he makes his Olympic debut against India’s Manoj Kumar tomorrow.

Despite his cameo appearance on TV screens in the athletes’ parade at the Opening Ceremony, a first-round bye means light welterweight Stalker will be the last British boxer to get a taste of the action in the ExCeL Arena.

But if his last bout with Kumar is anything to go by action will be in plentiful supply. The pair met in the quarter-finals of last year’s World Championship with Stalker prevailing 24-18 with neither fighter willing to take a backwards step.

And having seen the raucous reception afforded to his British teammates, including Fred Evans, the Commonwealth gold medallist admits he is chomping at the bit.

“I can’t wait to start my campaign to win that Olympic gold medal,” said Stalker.

“I have been thinking about nothing else, but I know I can’t look too far ahead. I have got to take it one fight at a time and I am not looking any further than the Indian on Saturday.

“I fought the Indian in the worlds for the bronze medal match. I won but it was a proper war.

“He likes to come forward and to be fair I was up for it too and it was a really good scrap.

“I think it is going to be another war on Saturday and the crowd are going to be lively, having seen the way they responded to Freddie.”

While Stalker received a bye, Kumar was in action on Tuesday and the welterweight Commonwealth gold medallist was in commanding form beating Serdar Hudayberdiyev 13-7.

Normally a bundle of energy, Stalker has faced a constant stream of sparring partners to keep him active and maintains he won’t be caught cold.

“I hope I won’t be too rusty,” he added. “We have had some sparring partners in from Team GB so I have been doing a bit with them and I don’t feel too bad. But having seen the boys go out there, I wish I could out there today.

“I have got my little girl and all my family coming down on Saturday. A load of my mates can’t get tickets but I can’t try to help them because I am just focussed on my fight, I don’t want to get into all of that.”


http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/boxing/2012/08/03/tom-stalker-ready-for-war-against-manoj-kumar-100252-31538316/

Good luck to local Huyton lad Tom Stalker when he gets started in the ring tomorrow.

That must be so hard being the last one of your team to box.  Good luck to him tomorrow!  The crowd in the Excel arena has been well up for it, a lad from work is going tomorrow, he can't wait.

BBC Sport ‏@BBCSport
There's action from the boxing ring again tonight with GB's Andrew Selby. His rumble with Ilyas Suleimenov is online http://bbc.in/ONKTG1

Stalker on now on BBC3.

Red corner wins, well in Tom!  Wins by 20-16 points.

Liverpool's Natasha Jonas wins her first Olympic fight easily beating Underwood of the USA 21-13!  Highlights on now on BBC 3.

Jonjo Nevin (hope I've spelt that right) wins at least a bronze for Ireland!

Yes!  Great turn around by Luke Campbell in the last round.  Did what he needed to winning the last round 8-6 to win 16-15.

GB's first guaranteed boxing medal!

Liverpool's Natasha Jonas wins her first Olympic fight easily beating Underwood of the USA 21-13!  Highlights on now on BBC 3.

Saw that Lynn, that girl has got some bottle she's gonna go far.

Come on Katie Taylor!!

Come on Katie Taylor!!

Saw this on the bbc:

Steve Bunce, BBC boxing pundit at ExCeL
"We are in the presence of greatness with Irish boxer Katie Taylor, who fights Team GB's Natasha Jonas later. I was at a function recently, which underlined how popular Taylor is in Ireland. When she was introduced to the crowd, she got a six-minute standing ovation - longer than the Ireland rugby team, Westlife and Bono got before her."

Shame they have been drawn to meet at this stage.

Come on Natasha Jonas!!

Well in Nicola Adams!  Through to the semi final!  God almighty, that girl can throw a punch!

Come on Katie Taylor!!

Should be easy for her

Come on Katie!

This crowd s better than the 100m final last night!

5 - 2 to Katie Taylor at the end of the first round.

The noise is deafening!

Standing count for Jonas in the 3rd.

That was absolutely brilliant.

Two great fighters there. What a crowd for a great fight too!

Katie wins by 26-15.

Wow!  That was impressive!  Taylor takes it 26-15.

She's fierce!

Get in Katie, getting a medal anyways!

Great atmosphere, great fighters, great fight.

Hero!

Fair play to Natasha Jones, if she hadn't been drawn against Taylor when she was the two could very easily have met in the final!

Adriana Araújo just won her quarterfinal and guarantees a medal for Brazil, as there is no Bronze medal contest in boxing. First Brazilian medal in boxing since 1968!

Savannah Marshall up next for GB in the women's 75kg class against Marina Volnova of Kazakhstan.

7-7 after two rounds.

Boos from the crowd as Marshall is 8-10 down after the third.

What a shocker, Volnova wins 16-12.   World champion and number one seed is out.

Let's go-go with Anthony Ogogo in the men's quarter final against Germany's Stefan Hartel.  sorry for that, but come on Anthony!

Yes!!  Anthony Ogogo guarantees an Olympic medal!  Wins by 15-10!