Northern Ireland's top boxer Paddy Barnes made the quarter-finals at the Commonwealth Games in Mebourne four years ago but is now tipped to win gold in Delhi.

The Belfast-born light-flyweight won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing two years ago.

Barnes comes into the Games on top form after winning gold at the European Amateur Championships in Moscow in June.

The 23-year-old beat Azerbaijan's Elvin Mamishzade 4-1 in the final.

Barnes missed out on a Commonwealth Games medal in Australia in 2006 following his defeat in the quarter-finals.

He was leading by six points at the halfway point against Swaziland's Simanga Shiba but went on to lose 37-34.

In 2006 I was just 19, it was my first major tournament and I let the occasion get to me.

Four years on, four years more experience in major games and world championships and I'm the best I can be.

The sparring's going well. I'm just coming back after a holiday and a long break and come games time I will be really ready.

I am always going for gold - gold is my target, nothing less.

I'm going to go out there and do what I do best. I believe my best will bring a gold medal.

I believe there's a medal in all nine boxers in the team.

In action: The nine-day boxing programme runs from Tuesday, 5 October to Wednesday 13 October in the Talkatora Indoor Stadium. Each day features an afternoon and evening session of competition. The first four days sessions run from 1730 BST to 2130 BST and 2300 BST to 0200 BST the following day. On 10 and 11 October sessions run from 1730 BST to 2000 BST and 2200 BST to 0030 BST the following day. On 13 October sessions run from 1730 BST to 2000 BST and 2330 BST to 0200 BST the following day. There is no scheduled competition on 12 October.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version