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Jeffries: Guaranteed medal
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Tony Jeffries has guaranteed Great Britain a second boxing medal of the Beijing Games after storming into the semi-finals of the light-heavyweight competition with a 10-2 victory over Hungary's Imre Szello.
After only just making it through his first bout on the countback system, the Sunderland fighter left nothing to chance against an opponent who appeared largely one-dimensional.
Jeffries unleashed a string of right hands to establish a 9-2 lead going into the final round. He then eased back but nevertheless continued to dominate the fight.
Szello was given a standing eight count as Jeffries took a victory which guarantees him a place on the podium.
With super heavyweight David Price also reaching the last four on Monday, the British team are now guaranteed two boxing medals for the first time in 36 years.
The result was also a vindication for the 23-year-old, who has almost dropped out of the sport on two separate occasions - Jeffries spending 11 months on the sidelines with a hand injury and also losing in the Commonwealth Games to Scotland's Kenny Anderson
"It's a dream come true. It's everything I've trained for over the last two years," Jeffries said. "I've dedicated so much of my life to getting a medal.
"Just to get here at all was unbelievable. All those cold morning runs have paid off now."
Explosive
In a potentially explosive encounter, Jeffries will now fight his great rival, Ireland's Kenny Egan, for a place in the final on Friday night.
Egan looked superb in whitewashing Brazil's Washington Silva 8-0, a result which means he follows light-flyweight Paddy Barnes in guaranteeing Ireland's first two medals of the Games.
Jeffries also met Egan at the EU Championships in Poland in June, with Egan leading 14-7 when Jeffries was withdrawn before the final round with a cut eye.
Egan said then: "Jeffries said to me after the fight that I was a lot better than he thought I was, which was cheeky thing to say. But it's something I'll remember, believe me."
