BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom (AFP) — England’s Delicious Orie was crowned the Commonwealth Games super-heavyweight champion on Sunday, as the Northern Ireland brother and sister duo of Aidan and Michaela Walsh also won boxing gold medals.
The 25-year-old Orie, born in Russia to a Nigerian father and a Russian mother, defeated India’s Sagar Ahlawat by a unanimous points decision despite losing the first round.
“I am so proud to be English and British,” Orie, brought to England aged seven after his father suffered racist abuse, told the BBC.
“I knew I had two rounds to prove myself and I was not going to let anyone else win. I was determined. You were going to have to kill me in there for me to lose.”
Now Orie wants to emulate compatriot and occasional training partner Anthony Joshua, who won the 2012 Olympic super-heavyweight gold medal before becoming a professional world heavyweight champion.
“My inspiration has always been Anthony Joshua, and what he has achieved is the bare minimum,” he said.
“I am the next generation and we are going to excel.”
Orie and heavyweight Lewis Williams were the only boxing gold medalists for hosts England on a day when 16 titles were decided in the ring.
Williams beat Samoa’s 2018 silver medallist Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali, with his victory made more special by the fact that several family members from nearby Leamington Spa were ringside — including his father, who first took him to a boxing club when he was a boy.
“My dad has been ill in hospital recently,” Williams said.
“He came out and was at ringside, which gave me a big lift.”
Two of India’s three boxing gold medals came at the expense of English opponents.
Amit Panghal went one better than his 2018 silver by beating Kiaran MacDonald in the flyweight final.
