REECE MCFADDEN

Motherwell boxer Reece McFadden is hoping his win at the Elite Boxing Championships can spur him on to success at the Commonwealth Games 2018.

The Forgewood ABC fighter won gold at the Championships to be crowned the British Flyweight champion.

The 21-year-old won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow two years ago, but now he wants to make sure he leaves the result in no doubt when the Games head to the Gold Coast in two years.

McFadden was beaten by Australian Andrew Moloney in the semi-finals two years ago and admits that while the result still annoys him, he is not looking to the past as he bids to become a Games gold medallist.

The flyweight believes his British Championship win was the perfect set-up.

He said: “It was a really good fight in the final and at times I thought I made it hard for myself. But I got the win and that’s the most important thing.

“I never take an opponent too lightly so I just had to keep myself focused and thankfully I did enough to get the win.

“The aim now is to keep going and push on for the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

“There is an assessment coming up for people who are wanting to make the squad, but I won’t be there because I’m on holiday. But I’ll be at the next one.

“It’s important for me to go back to the Commonwealth Games and win gold because I feel like I should have beat the Australian boy.

“It was a close fight but I thought I had done enough to edge it. But it doesn’t matter now because I’ve put that behind me.

“I’m motivated to go out there and win gold next time and make sure it is left in no doubt.”

McFadden is part of a Motherwell trio who are heading up the best of Scottish boxing at the moment, as he is good friends with fellow British champion Aqeel Ahmed and the Mailman Charlie Flynn.

The 21-year-old believes that being close with Ahmed and Flynn helps all three of them in the long run as they motivate one another.

McFadden said: “We’re all really good friends and it just stems from all being from Motherwell.

“We all go out for jogs, walks, train together and spar together and it’s great because we bounce off one another.

“Myself and Aqeel are always travelling to tournaments like the championships last weekend and we both want to come away with gold, which we did last time.

“We motivate each other and Charlie used to travel along with us before he