28 April 2020

GB boxing head McCracken 'hopeful' amateurs will remain focused on Olympics despite delay

GB boxing performance director Rob McCracken is confident boxers on the Olympic squad will remain focused on the Tokyo Games despite the delay until 2021.

The push back of the Olympics by 12 months has led to speculation about fighters potentially turning to the professional ranks as they may not want to wait another year for a shot at a gold medal.

But McCracken, who has had success in the pro ranks as a trainer with the likes of Carl Froch and Anthony Joshua, does not believe the postponement will give his squad any other ideas.

Speaking to BBC Sport, he said: "Our boxers have spent a lot of years working towards the goal of going to the Olympic Games," 

“From a performance point of view, having an extra year to prepare for the Olympics is good news for a lot of our boxers.

“I was really pleased with a conversation I had with one of our leading boxers a couple of days ago. He was disappointed that the Olympics had been postponed but it was clear he had accepted it and he just said to me: 'Imagine how much better I will be in 12 months. It's going to give me an even better chance of winning a medal next year'."

A number of hotly tipped prospects currently on the GB squad are hoping for great success at the Olympic Games.

Lauren Price became world champion in the middleweight division last year after her defeat in the final to The Netherlands' Nouchka Fontijn was overturned upon appeal.

Teenager Caroline Dubois was a late surprise addition to the GB squad, but at the aged of just 19 has excelled in the youth set-up.

And then on the men's side, super heavyweight Frazer Clarke finally gets his chance to go to an Olympics having missed out twice previously when Anthony Joshua and Joe Joyce medalled in London and Rio.

A qualifying event for the Games took place in London in March, but was suspended after just three days due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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