Great Britain's team for next month's European Championships in Moscow

By Ben Dirs

Middleweight Antony Ogogo says winning a medal at the European Championships in Moscow could be the first step on the road to success at London 2012.

Lowestoft's Ogogo, 21, is part of a 12-man British team competing in the biennial event between 4-13 June.

"If I can win a medal and bring back gold from the Commonwealth Games [in October], then each step will take me to the Olympics," Ogogo told BBC Sport.

"The Olympics are in the back of my mind - in the middle, maybe."

BEN DIRS' BLOG The members of the 12-man GB squad will be more professional than most professionals

Ogogo claimed his second senior ABA title in London last month to become a two-weight champion and is now an integral member of Great Britain's elite 'podium squad', which is led by performance director Rob McCracken.

McCracken's men will be looking to add to the 10 medals (including four gold) won at the Commonwealth Federation tournament in Delhi in March, two at the Prime Ministry tournament in Ankara in April and four at the Bocksai tournament in Hungary in February.

Welshman Andrew Selby struck bantamweight gold in Hungary and flyweight Khalid Yafai and featherweight Iain Weaver took gold and silver respectively in Ankara.

I've got over the injury and the mental side of it and I feel great at the moment Light-welterweight Bradley Saunders

It is Weaver's first year with the 'podium' squad, which is based in Sheffield, but his silver and a gold in Delhi convinced McCracken to pick him over reigning European champion Luke Campbell, who has struggled with injury since moving up from bantamweight.

Weaver, 20, said: "Things couldn't be going any better right now and I feel as fit and strong as I ever have. Getting picked to go to Moscow instead of the reigning European champion is a big confidence boost.

"I'm really starting to find my feet in the seniors now and I've really come on since linking up full-time with the podium squad. The sparring is second to none and I see no reason why I can't get a medal - hopefully gold."

Bradley Saunders, who boxed for Great Britain at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and competes in the light-welterweight division in Moscow, said he was fully focused on the job in hand after some injury problems of late.

Saunders, a bronze medallist at the 2007 World Championships, missed out on a place at last year's Worlds because of a broken thumb and his inactivity resulted in him dropping below domestic rival Scott Cardle in the world rankings.

But Saunders got the nod over Cardle from McCracken and the Stockton-on-Tees boxer is confident of landing a medal.

"I've got over the injury and the mental side of it and I feel great at the moment," stated the 24-year-old Saunders.

"There's not one man in Europe who's beaten me that I haven't beaten and I will have to seriously under-perform or a have a problem with the judging not end up with a medal."

Two Welshmen - Selby and light-welterweight Lewis Rees - will compete alongside and against nine English boxers and one Scot, Edinburgh's Stephen Simmons, in Moscow.

GB squad for European Championships in Moscow (4-13 June): Tommy Stubbs (England) 48kg
Khalid Yafai (England) 51kg
Andrew Selby (Wales) 54kg
Gamal Yafai (England) 54kg
Iain Weaver (England) 57kg
Tom Stalker (England) 60kg
Bradley Saunders (England) 64kg
Lewis Rees (Wales) 64kg
Antony Ogogo (England) 75kg
Obed Mbwakongo (England) 81kg
Stephen Simmons (Scotland) 81kg
Warren Baister (England) 91kg

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