McGRAIL: I’M STILL HOPING FOR FIGHTING CHANCE
PETER McGRAIL is a born fighter and could not be more belligerent about the possibility of his Olympic dream being floored by coronavirus. McGrail qualified for Tokyo 2020 this week and tweeted defiantly with the hashtag #f**kthecornona. The featherweight has not spent four years beating all comers to make it to Japan only to be denied by a virus. “The way I see it, they should go ahead,” he said.
“By the time the Games start it will be July so hopefully things will be better and they will be able to go ahead. I’m just staying focused and training as if the Olympics are starting in July until I’m told one million per cent it’s changed.”
McGrail, 23, would accept a short delay or even fighting behind closed doors.
“If it was delayed a couple of months you would have to go with it,” he said. “If it was delayed a year, then I’d have to sit down with my trainer, Paul Stevenson, my family
and the GB coaches and make a decision. If it was behind closed doors or with people there, either way I’d be looking to get the job done and bring a medal back.”
McGrail qualified with Galal Yafai at the Boxing Road to Tokyo event at London’s Copper Box Arena before it was cancelled after his fight on Monday. “I had loads coming down from Liverpool for my fight, my family and all my friends, and they had made a big banner for me,” he said. “Then on Sunday night I was gutted when I was told my fight was going to be behind closed doors.
“I got the job done, but only me and Galal got through and I feel for the other members of the team, who have not had that chance yet.”