Sam Pomphrey targets victory to be in with chance of 2012 Olympic Games spot

[divingbrit]

Bristol boxer Sam Pomphrey will put his Olympic Games dream on the line when he meets Great Britain number one Obed Mbwakongo in a winner-takes-all bout in Basingstoke next week.

Selected to represent England against the Great Britain elite squad, ABA champion Pomphrey knows that victory could earn him a shot at glory at London 2012.

Mbwakongo is currently in pole position to represent Britain at the Games, but the Bristolian will make a compelling case for selection in his place if he achieves what would be the most notable win of his fledgling career at Oldworth Science College on Saturday week.

Pomphrey, who boxes out of the Broad Plain Boys Club at the Riverside gym, became the first Bristolian to win an ABA senior title in 32 years last summer and is now setting his sights on representing his country at the London Olympic.

And coach and mentor, Liam Stinchcombe, believes the Bristolian has an outstanding chance of leapfrogging London-based Mbwakongo in the standings.

He said: "This is undoubtedly the biggest fight of Sam's career so far. A place in the British Olympic team is at stake. Mbwakongo is rated number one and is in line to box at the Games, but that will all change if Sam beats him.

"Team GB have yet to nominate anyone in the light heavyweight division and two places are up for grabs. The top-ranked guy will get to box in the Olympics and the other one will be on standby in case of an injury.

"Obviously, we would rather Sam be the main man with Mbwakongo in reserve and this is our chance to make that happen.

"If Sam wins in Basingstoke, it will be difficult for the GB selectors to ignore his claims."

Pomphrey, 21, will be full of confidence after comprehensively beating Jamaican international Jovan Young on the Runnymede Police ABC show in Surrey last week.

Stinchcombe said: "Sam is in great shape and he made Young look silly at times. If he can reproduce that form against Mbwakongo, he has a great chance.

"Although this will be the first time he has boxed Mbwakongo in competition, the pair have sparred together in the past and we know a lot about him."

This is Bristol