GB boxers bag biggest medal haul in 100 years
McCormack adds silver after brave defeat against Cuban Yafai through to final as Britain better tally from 1920
Pat Mccormack may have lost his welterweight final but the silver he takes home to County Durham constitutes part of the biggest haul of boxing medals Great Britain has achieved at the Games since 1920.
The moment, earlier in the day, when Birmingham flyweight Galal Yafai advanced to his semi-final – thus guaranteeing at least a bronze – meant Team GB will have accumulated six medals in Tokyo.
Given that the last time they won that many there were only 12 nations taking part in the whole Games, the fact they have done so when 76 countries have sent participants to the boxing alone, suggests they are doing something right.
“It’s a great team, something to be proud of,” Mccormack said. “We’re a team, we all train together, push each other on, win tournaments together. That’s why we’re so good.”
In his final, the problem for Mccormack was that he was facing a representative of the real heavyweights of the Olympic boxing ring: Cuba. The gold Roniel Iglesias won by beating him here was the 38th the island nation has won in the ring (by contrast, Britain has won 18, many dating from the days when we were largely fighting among ourselves).
It was Iglesias’s second gold, following his victory in the lightwelterweight division at London 2012. Now here he was lording it again, doing a little soft shoe shuffle of delight when his victory was confirmed.
“I can have no complaints,” Mccormack said. “I lost to a very good boxer.”
The 26-year-old from the Birtley Boxing Club arrived in the magnificent Kokugikan sumo arena looking more than confident. Bouncing in to Queen’s We Will Rock You, flashing a thumbs up to his twin brother – and fellow Olympian – Luke who was with the rest of the GB team watching from the balcony, he appeared more than ready.
But in Olympic boxing there is one piece of received wisdom above all others: do not lose your first round, with only three available. What is more, if you are going to go behind, do not go behind against a Cuban.
Yet, when the scores were revealed on the screen above the ring after the first frenetic three minutes of jab and counter jab, it was clear Mccormack was trailing. True, it was a split decision, 4-1, among the five judges, but you had to wonder what bout the representative from Bulgaria was watching. The momentum was evidently with his opponent.
And the problem was that Iglesias – who, as far as we know, is no relation to Julio – was the wiliest of campaigners. Now 32, the veteran showed an ability to keep out of the way of everything Mccormack threw. Plus, when he unleashed his own weaponry, the points rapidly accumulated.
Soon after the critical second round began, the one in which he had quickly to establish himself, Mccormack was on his backside.
He insisted afterwards he had lost his balance, but replays suggested he had been caught on the chin. Fortunately the referee took his view and allowed the fight to continue. But the points drain was continuous. Up in the balcony, Luke was still yelling: “Patient, Pat, patient.”
Sadly, after it was clear Iglesias had also won the second round, the time for patience was running out. Not that Mccormack had a choice; his opponent’s uncanny ability to avoid most of his punches was tiring the Briton, whose efforts in the third turned soon into desperation.
When it was over, as the two boxers stood either side of the referee waiting for the announcer to conclude his pointless pausing and tell us who had won, Mccormack was already applauding the victor, more than aware that the chance to top the podium had eluded him.
“Oh aye,” he said. “They tell us the scores as the rounds go on, so I knew I was behind.”
Now he will leave Team GB and try his hand as a professional, a move not available to Iglesias or his Cuban team-mates. “It’s been a long time coming, what with Covid and everything,” he said of his decision. “But I’m an Olympic silver medallist, it’s a good platform for me to go on from here.”
He is not the only Briton in possession of such a calling card. Five of his colleagues are now similarly able to make their way into the professional ranks. It is some boxing talent factory, Team GB.