Birmingham 2022: Boxer Reese Lynch sets down marker for Team Scotland in first bout of Commonwealth Games

A statement win was what Reese Lynch wanted in his opening bout at Birmingham 2022 and that's exactly what the Scottish fighter delivered in a clinical two-minute display.

The 21-year-old had far too much for Timon Aaree of Kiribati, producing a flurry of punches to leave the referee with no choice but to stop the contest with just 2:26 on the clock.

Light welterweight Lynch, from Fauldhouse, has already drawn comparisons with undisputed world champion Josh Taylor, who won Commonwealth Games gold in 2014.

And while he would have liked to have had a bit more time in the ring, Lynch admitted his primary goal was to lay down a marker to the rest of the competition in the over 60kg-63.5kg category.

“That was good, a good experience getting out there and winning in that kind of fashion. It gets the ball rolling for all the boys and I’m buzzing,” said Lynch, who is one of over 1,100 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing them to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering technology, science, and medical support.

“I would have liked to have got going a bit more but also you want to come and make statements like that in your first round and making a big statement that’s what you want to do.

“Getting him out in the first round was good. I’m only here for gold so I’ll just keep knocking them down as I go, keep knocking down the rounds as I go and try and get that gold.”

Lynch became the first ever Scottish athlete to win a medal at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in November, claiming bronze in the light welterweight category.

Scotland's Reese Lynch (right) lands a punch on Timon Aaree of Kiribati during his light welterweight round of 32 victory on the opening day of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

But he said his first Commonwealth Games has already been a completely unique experience, relishing the atmosphere provided by what felt like a home crowd at the NEC.

“I was trying to get a peak around the corner to see how it was [on TV]. You don’t know really what you’re landing when you’re in there, so I just wanted to see what happened,” he said.

“You’re just gone when you’re in there, you are in a different mind space.

“It’s been good so far being at the Games. It’s been mad with the fireworks and stuff when you come out, I’ve never experienced anything like that before.

“The World Amateur Championships is good and it’s a big stadium as well but the roar from the crowd is completely different, it’s kind of like a home Games, a home fight.

“You could see everybody going mad, so it was really good.”

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The full television and sports schedule for Birmingham 2022