British boxer vows revenge against Sutherland
British middleweight James DeGale has acknowledged his losing run against Ireland's Darren Sutherland - but insists that it will be different this time.
DeGale, from the Dale ABC in Hammersmith London, and 26-year-old Sutherland, of the St Saviours Olympic Boxing Academy (OBA) club in Dublin, clash in tomorrow's 75Kg Olympic semifinal at the Workers Indoor Arena in Beijing (8am Irish time).
The Englishman has lost four of his five meetings to Sutherland, including two defeats (22-17 and 23-19) to the Dubliner in the 2007/08 European Union middleweight finals at the National Stadium in Dublin and in Cetniewo, Poland last June.
DeGale recorded his first win over Sutherland, a 23-22 verdict, in the quarter-finals at the second last Olympic qualifier for European boxers in Pescara, Italy last February.
Both boxers are already guaranteed bronze at these Olympics - but 22-year-old DeGale told the BBC that he is hoping to go all the way.
He said: "I know I've got a losing record but it'll be different this time. I'm going to hit and move, not stay static, and combat him right with the tactics. Hopefully now I can go on and win the gold."
Sutherland, Irish captain Ken Egan and Paddy Barnes will all be in semi-final action tomorrow, with light heavyweight Egan pencilled in to meet another British boxer, Tony Jeffries at around 2pm - Barnes will be in the ring against reigning world champion Shiming Zou at noon.
Egan, of the Neilstown club in Dublin, beat Sunderland-born Jeffries in the 2008 European Union Championships 81kg final on the same day that Sutherland out-pointed DeGale.
The Irish skipper was 14-7 up when Jeffries, who boxes out of the Sunderland BC, picked up a facial injury and was retired by his corner in the third round.
Holy Family Belfast light flyweight Barnes qualified for the Olympics after reaching the quarter-finals of the World Championships in Chicago last October where he was beaten (22-8) by Zou who went on to claim his second World title on the trot.
Serdamba Purevdorju of Mongolia and Cuban Yampier G Hernandez go head-to-head in the other 48kg last four decider, while Zhang Xiaoping of China and Shynaliyev Yerkebula of Kazakhstan contest the other 81kg semi-final.
Cuban middleweight Emilio Correra or Kuma Vijender, who has the distinction of winning India's first ever Olympic boxing medal courtesy of reaching the semi finals in Beijing, will face either Sutherland or DeGale in the 75kg final on Saturday.
The Irish squad had one training session at the Olympic village today. The session mostly involved pad work and weigh management ahead of one of the biggest days in the 97-year-old history of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association.
The boxing event at the 29th Olympiad will conclude with five finals on Saturday and six finals on Sunday.
