GOLDEN boy Galal Yanfai made a shocking debut on Sunday, after being Team GB's shock Olympic athlete.
29-year-old Birmingham fighter was crowned Tokyo flyweight champion last summer. This is the culmination of a Cinderella story that began when she worked in a Land Rover factory.
Yafai will make a professional debut on Sunday night
Most Yafai's amateur bouts, which included two Olympic Games, were scheduled for three rounds. A pro bow is typically a four- or six-round affair.
The super-fit, youngest boxer brother is boldly going for a ten round fight against Carlos Bautista at London’s O2 as the 8th division.
He grinned at the Mexican before he faced him. I'm pretty fit, and I think I can handle the ten rounds.
"I hope it doesn't go to the full ten, but I'm sure it will. I don't want it to be all guns blazing the first few rounds and then blow up.
"I have a lot to expect from myself, but the Olympic gold medal is in my past now."
Yafai can land a world title by jumping in at the deep end within ten fights.
He has seen enough of the dark side of boxing -- through his own amateur struggles as well as the careers of Gamal and Kal -- that he knows it won't be easy.
He stated that he believed he was good enough to be a world champ, 100%. It doesn't necessarily mean that it will happen.
Boxing is not without its ups and downs. With my brothers, I have seen first-hand and second-hand boxing.
"So I will just work hard and see what happens."
Storm Eunice blew off sections of the O2 roof, but repairs were successful and Sunday's show will continue.
Yafai stated that he was used to fighting in empty arenas such as those in Bulgaria and Hungary. He also remembers being bored at work all week so this is a welcome change.
"This is much more fun. We've been placed in a nice hotel, and I am ready to go now."
Hackney's WBO Cruiserweight Champ Lawrence Okolie (29), headlines against Michal Cieselak.
He insists that he didn't panic when the roof of the venue fell.
Okolie, 32, stated that he was calm before he faced Cieslak in the Polish slugger fight.
"I believed that the worst case scenario would be for the fight to be relocated, but it could be delayed.
"But I don't let anything get me down -- I just take it as it is."
Okolie can't help but laugh when people call him a world champion.
He won the cruiserweight title last March, and now he is the proud owner a flawless 17-0 start in his career.
Even more remarkable is his story. He was bullied as a kid for being overweight and worked at a McDonald's ten years before deciding to pursue a career as a social worker.
He still smiles at his inspirational turnaround, from flipping burgers and headinglining at O2!
He said, "It's starting to feel a little more normal, but I still laugh when people call me the world champion."
"I felt that I was meant for something, but I didn't know what it was." I had been considering being a McDonald's manager, and my mom is involved with social work, so that was something I was interested in."
The 14-pound 4lb ace wants to unify with any of the three champs with WBC or IBF belts.
Get a PS10 Bonus with 100s of Games to Play and No Deposit RequiredHe has had a frustrating time and could be able to jump up to the heavyweights much sooner than expected.
He said, "Everyone knows that I want to unify my division and, ideally go for undisputed, with all four belts."
"But if these champions ignore me, I'll move to the top and find some real dance partners."
Did you miss our previous article...
https://secondsaway.co.uk/boxing/highlights-josh-taylor-vs-jack-catterall
