2012 hopefuls

Do any of you keep your eye on Team GB and what our chances are like of getting a medal in 2012?
Who are our biggest hopes?

Hopefully there wont be a frankie gavin situation. hes done really well, but it could have been him headlining events around the country instead of degale.

I tried to keep up to date with the recent European amateur championships as much as I could. A couple of Welsh guys won gold and there was a silver from Tom Stalker. They should all be in with a decent shout of winning a medal provided the draw is favourable. Another is the Bantamweight Campbell, before that tournament he was unbeaten for a lengthy period of time, but lost a supposedly controversial decision, to a fellow from Turkey, who were the host nation.

The Irish squad also have a few medal hopes. Joe Ward and Ray Moylette are both former world junior champions and both won gold at the Europeans (Moylette defeated Stalker in the final). Ward is the reigning Irish seniors champion and defeated Beijing 2008 Silver Medalist Kenny Egan in the final. Paddy Barnes at light flyweight was the previous European champ, but couldn't defend it due to injury. He is also the reigning commonwealth champion. Add in the fact that he won bronze at the previous Olympics, he has a good chance of reaching the podium.

Add in guys like Darren O'Neill and John Joe Nevin amongst others who have all won medals at major tournaments then Ireland have a decent chance of a few.

But its really luck of the draw. You could be one of the top fighters in the tournament, but meet the favourite in the first round,hen you go home with making any sort of impact, whilst lesser fighters can have a comfortable draw and nick a bronze.

Have watched bits of them as the train out of Sheffield and so have seen a couple of events. Luke Campbell looks excellent and if he stays fit should have a real chance. Stalker is also excellent, there is also an asian kid whose name escapes me who looks talented. Iain Weaver looked really good when winning the ABA's but has had to move up in weight so if he can settle into the new weight and establish himself he should also do well.

rowley wrote:Have watched bits of them as the train out of Sheffield and so have seen a couple of events. Luke Campbell looks excellent and if he stays fit should have a real chance. Stalker is also excellent, there is also an asian kid whose name escapes me who looks talented. Iain Weaver looked really good when winning the ABA's but has had to move up in weight so if he can settle into the new weight and establish himself he should also do well.

Do you mean one of the Yafai brothers? Unless they do something outstanding over the next few months, I can't see them displacing Selby or Campbell from their respective weights. September is the first qualifying event, and a good showing from either of those two would cement their place at 2012. Just out of interest, do GB fighters have to qualify or do they get entry on the fact they are from the host nation?

Them's em Goldenboy, to be honest was a couple of years ago when I saw them, believe it was in the ABA's but did not realise they were in the same weight class as Campbell who was injured at the time. Totally agree though if they are in the same weight class as Campbell they have little chance of making the squad as Campbell has been cracking since he come back. He stood Weaver on his head at one of the national events and Weaver, as I said before is pretty good.

Cheers everyone, some great insights there. stalker is looking impressive.

Haven't really seen Weaver, but if he's stepped up to featherweight then he better hope he is drawn on the opposite side to the Ukrainian Lomachenko. He was the class act at 2008, and i think he's undefeated since then.

Campbell is in with a really good shout, probably GB's best hope for gold. There is/was a Mongolian though in the bantamweight division who seems the one to beat.

The Cubans will be smarting from 2008, as it was the first Olympics in God knows how long that they didn't win a single gold. Not too sure how their squad has been performing recently though. Its so hard to keep up to date with the amateurs as no-one really seems to cover it.

Forgot to add in that Katie Taylor from Ireland is an almost certainty to win Gold. Thank goodness womens boxing has been introduced...