Stubbs still has Olympics dream

Thomas Stubbs: Olympic door remains open

THE door is still open for Chadderton’s Thomas Stubbs (pictured) to represent Great Britain at the London Olympics.

A two-time ABA title holder at light-flyweight (48kg), he is in the British Amateur Boxing Association’s provisional 11-man development squad for the Games.

The BABA has also announced a 21-man podium squad as part of the selection process for the GB team that will target gold-medal glory in 2012.

All 32 boxers will receive funding and train at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield under performance director Rob McCracken and his coaching and support staff.

The podium list contains the leading contenders for London, but it is not a “closed job” according to McCraken.

He said: “We have a lot of talent and at this stage I am keen to have a larger podium squad than has traditionally been the case. I want to maintain a competitive environment and do not want it to feel like an exclusive group.

“I want the established team members to know they have to keep improving to maintain their places and the up and coming boxers to feel they have something to aim for and know they have the opportunity to part of 2012 if they apply themselves, train hard and do well in competition.

“The same applies to any other talented boxers out there. I am very happy with the squad, but it is not a closed shop and if someone performs well in competition and shows they have the ability and dedication to make the grade they can force their way in.”

It is now down to Stubbs, who is attached to the Northside ABC, to catch the selectors’ eye.

Chosen for the podium list in the 19-year-old’s weight division — he has stepped up to flyweight (51kg) — are Birmingham’s Khalid Yafai and Daniel Chapman, from Wales

Yafai reached the last 16 of the 2008 Games in Beijing, where he lost to veteran Cuban Andris Laffita Hernandez, who went on to claim silver.

He was also the first Englishman to win the Under-17s World Championships.

But Stubbs can also boast a fine amateur career.

He came from nowhere to win his first ABA title in 2008, retaining his title 12 months later.

Stubbs won gold at the EU Championships and got to the last 32 of the World Championships in Italy.

He recorded a unanimous points decision against Newcastle’s Anthony Dillon at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium in the defence of his 51kg North-West area title on Saturday, but the verdict will not count for official purposes as he entered the ring at 51.8kg, eight grammes above the maximum weight for the division.