Scottish boxer Sam Hickey guarantees bronze as teammates Reese Lynch and Sean Lazzerini stay on course for medals at Commonwealth Games

Dundee dynamo Sam Hickey is gunning for revenge to earn a gold medal shot at the Commonwealth Games after saying he is sick and tired of bronze and silver.

Hickey is guaranteed to at least match the bronze he won at the youth Commonwealth Games after stopping Nigeria’s Adeyinka Benson in the third round of their men’s middleweight quarter-final on Wednesday afternoon at the NEC.

However, blocking his route to the final is England’s Lewis Richardson who beat him at this year’s European Championships, but Hickey’s renewed focus means he is not worried about facing his familiar foe on Saturday.

The four-time European medallist said: “It was a brilliant performance. I was really pleased with it. I knew I had a performance like that in the bag and I proved it.

“I didn’t go looking for the stoppage, I just caught him with a good shot, and he crumbled after that.

“You need to be confident and there’s not a doubt in my mind that I’m going to be on the top of the podium here.

“I’m sick and tired of bronze and silver medals, I’m here for one medal and that’s gold.

“I’m just so focused that I know I can do it. I’ve been saying to myself for ages that I’m going to do this and when you tell yourself something so much, the sky’s the limit.

Sam Hickey (red) of Scotland enroute to victory over Adeyinka Benson (blue) of Nigeria during the Men’s Boxing Over 71kg-75kg Middleweight Quarter-Final match on day six of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

“I’m not worried about Lewis. We know each other inside and out. When we box, it’s a close fight but I’m going to make sure I’m on the right end of it this time.”

Reese Lynch said he loves being compared to Josh Taylor after dethroning the reigning Commonwealth Games champion to further his chances of being the next.

Taylor is just Scotland’s second ever undisputed world champion, but the similarities stack up between the two light welterweight southpaws from the east of Scotland’s central belt.

Lynch is bidding to follow in the footsteps of the Glasgow 2014 gold medallist and impressed with a comprehensive points victory over Namibia’s Junias Jonas, who tipped his conqueror for glory, in the quarter final.

Lynch, who faces Canada’s Wyatt Sanford in Saturday’s semi-final, said: “It was certainly one of my best performances. He was pressuring me, so I had to throw long shots to keep out of his punching distance, otherwise he would have kept coming.

“I’m buzzing with that. I want to be Reese Lynch but I’m happy with that comparison as Josh Taylor is one of the best Scotland’s ever had. What he’s done you dream of emulating.”

Sean Lazzerini was so delighted to progress to his semi-final that he celebrated in the style of Cristiano Ronaldo, despite claiming to be a Barcelona fan.

Light-heavyweight Lazzerini was a comfortable victor over Canada's Keven Beausejour but nodded in approval when he got caught by one good shot from his opponent in the final round.

Lazzerini, who takes on Tanzania’s Yusuf Lucasi Changalawetan on Saturday, said: “I like it when I get hit to be honest, I don’t know why.

“When I get hit, I get excited, I get a wee buzz and I’m like, ‘let’s go’. I’m not bothered [about the guaranteed bronze].

“I've got the winning mentality and that's all I'm here for. Nobody, and I mean nobody, is going to stop me from winning gold for me, my family and for my country."

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