Games call has Stubbs dreaming

GOING FOR GOLD . . . Chadderton’s Thomas Stubbs.

BOXING: NORTHSIDE star Thomas Stubbs has been selected to represent England in the Commonwealth Games.

Chadderton lad Stubbs (20) is part of a 12-man GB Boxing squad which will compete in the tournament from October 3 to 14.

He said: “I’m very pleased to have been selected.

“My family are proud as well. They just told me to make sure I get my weight right!

“I will be joining the rest of the squad for training in Thailand before the Games start. It is important to acclimatise so we will be out there for about a month.”

Ten of the squad will represent England and two will compete for Wales. The selection includes all three of GB Boxing’s silver medallists from the recent European Amateur Boxing Championship in Moscow, Khalid Yafai, Iain Weaver and Tom Stalker.

The Commonwealth Games will be the first competition to use the new Olympic weight categories.

GB Boxing’s Performance Director, Rob McCracken said: “This is an important part of our preparations for 2012 and I am looking for the team to build on the success we had at the recent European Championships and continue the tradition of British boxers doing well at the Commonwealth Games.”

GB Boxing’s men have won 21 medals in four major international competitions in 2010. In February, the team landed three bronze and a gold for Andrew Selby at the Bocskai in Hungary.

The GB team won a medal in every weight category at the Commonwealth Federations in March when it secured four gold, one silver and five bronze.

In April, Khalid Yafai and Iain Weaver won gold and silver respectively at the Prime Ministry Tournament in Turkey.

June saw boxers from the GB squad win a total of five medals at the European Championships in Moscow.