Tokyo Olympics: Great Britain pair Ben Whittaker and Pat McCormack assured of medals in boxing

Great Britain guaranteed two more medals in the boxing as Ben Whittaker and Pat McCormack advance into the semi-finals with pair assured of at least bronze on Sunday

  • Team GB are assured of two boxing medals on Sunday after two fighters won
  • Ben Whittaker edged Brazil’s Keno Machado to reach light heavyweight semi
  • Pat McCormack defeated Bobo Baturov of Uzbekistan in his quarter-final
  • Both losing semi-finalists in Olympic boxing take home a bronze medal
  • Both Whittaker and McCormack fight again in their semi-finals on Sunday  

British duo Ben Whittaker and Pat McCormack are guaranteed at least bronze medals in the boxing after winning their respective quarter-final fights on Friday.

Whittaker is into the light heavyweight last four after edging a 3-2 split decision against Keno Machado of Brazil.

The 24-year-old from West Bromwich advances to Sunday’s semi-final, where he’ll face Imam Khataev of the Russian Olympic Committee.

Ben Whittaker roars with delight after defeating Brazil’s Keno Machado in his quarter-final bout

There was delight for Britain's Pat McCormack as he advanced to Sunday's semi-final round

There was delight for Britain’s Pat McCormack as he advanced to Sunday’s semi-final round

McCormack, meanwhile, defeated Uzbekistan’s Bobo Baturov 4-1 to reach the welterweight semi-final, where he’ll face Ireland’s Aidan Walsh, also on Sunday.

In Olympic boxing, both losing semi-finalists receive a bronze medal but the British duo will certainly be aiming for gold from here.

Whittaker’s contest with Machado was a close affair. The British fighter registered a left hook in the closing seconds of the opening round to seize the initiative but the Brazilian didn’t back down.

Machado closed the deficit on the judges’ scorecards during the second round before Whittaker edged a scrappy third round to progress.

He told BBC Sport afterwards: ‘I don’t want to cry again! I’ve been crying like a baby, it was weird.

There was little between Whittaker and Machado for most of Friday's quarter-final fight

There was little between Whittaker and Machado for most of Friday’s quarter-final fight

The British fighter edged the contest on a split decision and is now guaranteed a medal

The British fighter edged the contest on a split decision and is now guaranteed a medal

‘Before I was thinking a bronze is nothing, a silver is nothing, but when the win did come I had a little celebration and out of nowhere it hit me ‘do you know what you’ve done?!’.

‘All the time I’ve been in the gym with other Olympians all telling me their stories and I never really believed it and the coaches said I’m going to be on the wall in Sheffield and it hit me – I need a haircut before that!

‘It was difficult, you never want to look too far ahead but I can’t help myself.

‘The people on my side of the draw are big swingers – I’m a confident, arrogant lad but I won’t lie – when I came out my belly was doing flips, my legs were gone, but as soon as the bell went it went away.

‘It doesn’t matter if it was split or unanimous – a win’s a win.’

Contrasting emotions as the judges' verdicts fall in Whittaker's favour after a tight contest

Contrasting emotions as the judges’ verdicts fall in Whittaker’s favour after a tight contest

Whittaker added: ‘I want to come back with the gold medal and become the mayor of Wolverhampton and call all the shots!’

McCormack, the 26-year-old fighter from Tyne and Wear, suffered a cut over his eye following a head clash with Baturov in the final round, but was ahead over all three rounds.

The British fighter is one of the favourites for gold and he has an encouraging track record against his next opponent Walsh.

Baturov worked hard and kept hammering away but McCormack’s superior technical skill meant he was always ahead in the contest.

McCormack was superior throughout his contest with Uzbekistan's Bobo Baturov on Friday

McCormack was superior throughout his contest with Uzbekistan’s Bobo Baturov on Friday

A cut above the eye couldn't derail McCormack's passage into the semi-finals

A cut above the eye couldn’t derail McCormack’s passage into the semi-finals 



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