Commonwealth Games: Winning his gold in Delhi was an emotional pay-off for the hard-working Callum Johnson

Published on Saturday 16 October 2010 14:17

Light-heavyweight gold medallist Callum Johnson may have done his talking with his fists in Delhi, but when the Scotland boxer speaks about his craft, he does so with the same grace he displayed in the ring.

Whether it's his future prospects, his growing crop of tattoos or the rigours of a monkish party-free lifestyle, the captain of the Scotland boxing team is an eloquent spokesman for his sport. But when he begins to talk about the moment in the Talkatora Stadium when that gold medal was hung around his neck, his voice still quivers with barely-suppressed emotion and excitement.

"Standing up there on that podium with tears rolling down my face was the best feeling of my life," he says. "As I stood there and they played the Flower of Scotland anthem, it was what I've struggled for ever since I took up boxing as a little kid. It was like a dream, and even now it doesn't seem real.

"The cameras were on me and I began to shed a tear or two, but that's because I knew it would be on the telly and all I could think about was my family back at home, sitting in front of the television, watching me. I kept thinking about all the sacrifices they've made for me over so many years, of the days when my dad was out coaching me at seven o'clock in the morning when he should have been at home with my mum. I kept thinking of my gran, who's from Springburn and who was so proud when I declared for Scotland six years ago. But most of all I was thinking about my little two-year-old boy Corbon, who would be sat there watching his dad with a gold medal around his neck; I was wondering whether he'd remember all this when he's older."

Just in case the DVD of the fight of his dad's life somehow goes astray or fades because it's been played so often, Johnson Snr is planning to have his emphatic Delhi victory over Belfast barman Tom McCarthy commemorated with a tattoo of his son holding his medal. He hasn't worked out all the details yet, and will leave the body artwork to his pal Ronnie ("he does the tattoos, I do the punching"), but he's thinking about something big on his back so that whenever he fights everyone will know he's the Commonwealth champion.

He needn't bother. In boxing circles, Johnson's imperious four-fight progress to the podium has him marked down as a man to watch in London in less than two years' time. It's a far cry from two years ago, when he was in the middle of a lean spell and suffering from such a chronic lack of self-confidence that he almost packed in boxing to go back to the market stall he used to run with his dad Paul in Skegness. Instead, he's on the verge of being called into the fully-funded Olympic team, a prospect that energises him."When it's all a bit calmer I'll speak to my dad and to Team Scotland about what to do next. Turning pro is always an option, but I've already got a new dream, which is to be on top of the podium in 2012. I fought some world-class fighters in Delhi, and if I can beat them in the way I did then I reckon I can hold my own at the Olympics. These days the Americans aren't that good, it's the Russians and Cubans who are the best in the world. I beat the top Russian, Dimitry Ivanov, who then beat the best Cuban, so I know I'm in the mix."

Although he refuses to commit himself to Glasgow 2014, he is unlikely to follow the lead of Kenny Anderson, the Scot who won light-heavyweight gold in Melbourne and then turned pro. For Johnson, who grew up in Lincoln but qualified for Scotland through his grandmother Mary Beddington, the lure of competing in London and then Glasgow is very strong. That's particularly the case with 2014 because in this most individual of sports, being a part of a close-knit and successful Scotland team provided Johnson with a rare sense of comradeship.

"Throughout the preparation and the travel, the atmosphere in the team was amazing," he says. "It was like one big family. To be voted as captain by the other guys in the team was one of the proudest moments in my life: knowing before the tournament began that they all respected and trusted me so much really meant a lot to me.

"Throughout the tournament we all supported each other, all felt for the guys who got beaten, all cheered the ones who won. That sort of support makes all the difference. In the final, when I was fighting the Northern Irish boy, and Steve (Simmons] started playing Flower of Scotland on the vuvuzela while we were going at it in the ring, I could feel the tune sending ripples down my body and tingles down my spine. It was as much as I could do to stay focused and not to start singing. Knowing that there were people there right behind you made a real difference.

"So when as far as 2014 goes, while I'm not going to make any firm decisions until after the Olympics, it goes without saying that I'd love to go through to Glasgow to defend my crown in front of the nation. I'm not sure whether anyone's ever done that before, but can you imagine anything better than doing what I did in Delhi in front of my family and friends? I can't - it makes me feel weak just thinking about it."

Johnson arrived home in Lincoln late last night to a riotous reception from those same friends and family. He laughs when asked about the prospect of Ricky Hatton-style celebrations: "I'm going to go home and chill out for a week and then get back into the routine of bed at 10pm, up training at seven. I'm an athlete so I'm virtually teetotal; I'll just celebrate with my family - maybe I'll have one glass of champagne, but that'll be all. After all, hopefully this is just the beginning..."