Jeffries itching to get into the ring
Aug 13 2008 By Stuart Rayner, The Journal
Having had his Olympic debut delayed four days by an unexpected first-round bye, Tony Jeffries finally gets his medal quest underway on Thursday morning British time. In part four of our exclusive series he tells Stuart Rayner what he can expect from Beijing's new boxing venue.
ON Thursday Tony Jeffries will belatedly make his first appearance in the 12,000-seater Workers' Indoor Arena. Built in 1961 and renovated for the Olympic boxing and Paralympic judo tournaments, it is an impressive venue but one which will hold no surprises for the light-heavyweight.
Jeffries was expecting to be thrust into action on the first morning of the boxing competition but will now open against Columbia's Eleider Alvarez on Thursday morning. The Sunderland boxer has been using his extra time to acclimatise and familiarise himself with the impressive surroundings he will fight in.
"It gave me an opportunity to go and have a good look at the boxing arena over the weekend," he said. "I've been to watch a couple of my team-mates fight and got a good feel for the place. It's a really big arena and at least now I know what to expect when I fight there."
The other problem with Jeffries' reshaped schedule is that having been building up to Saturday, he has had to delay his peak by another four days.
"I've been winding down my training this week, having stepped it up to two or three times a day when I first landed in China," he revealed.
Britain have made an excellent start to the boxing competitions, with five of Jeffries' six team-mates beginning with a win. The only exception has been bantamweight Joe Murray, beaten by home fighter Yu Gu.
"It was great that James DeGale got the team off to a winning start," sad Jeffries. "There's a really good team spirit between the boxing team, so we all enjoy it when each other does well. So far, only Joe Murray has lost so everyone's really flying at the moment. I just want to get into the ring myself now."
The success of Team GB has only added to the expectation on Jeffries, and the 23-year-old is worried some of them are unrealistic.
"I have read a few things in the Press saying I have an easy draw draw when I haven't at all," he said. "Eleider Alvarez is the 2007 Pan-American Champion and beat the Cuban number one by knockout so I think it's a bit disrespectful for people to say it's an easy draw. He's a massive puncher and a very dangerous fighter.
"I was expecting to have my first fight on Saturday, but the bye means I've had to wait until Thursday. Through all that time it's just added to the pressure on me, so now I just want to get in there and get going.
"People are looking at the fact I've beaten Imre Szello, the Hungarian, who I could face in the quarter-finals as well, but again I know it won't be easy. I did beat Szello, but it was only by a point. I remember it was a really tough fight and I'm expecting another one if we both make it into the quarter-finals. But he's got to get past a very good Venezualen fighter in Luis Alberto Gonzalez first, and of course I've got to win my fight, which won't be easy either."
