OLYMPICS LONDON 2012: Evans can continue boxing gold medal flurry

By Ben Burrows, Sportsbeat, London 2012

GREAT Britain’s Freddie Evans produced his best fight of London 2012 so far to book himself a place in the Olympic final with a terrific win over top seed Taras Shelestyuk of Ukraine.

BEST SO FAR: Freddie Evans produces scintillating fight to seal his place in the golden bout

The Welsh welterweight produced a sterling display to survive a late flurry to come through 11-10 against the world champion and is now guaranteed at least an Olympic silver medal.

Evans, who alongside Andrew Selby became the first Welsh boxers for 86 years to win European gold last year, revealed the partisan home support inside the ExCel spurred him on to the win.

"I had a game plan and had a point to prove,” said the 21-year-old. “I stuck to the game plan and I knew I had to be on top form and couldn't switch off.

“As soon as the bell goes and you hear the crowd it gives you a lift. The support is unbelievable."

The Newport-born fighter opened up with his best round of the tournament to edge ahead 4-1 before sharing an evenly contested second 4-4.

The world number one showed his class in the third to take it 5-3 but it wasn’t enough, leaving Evans, the youngest remaining member of the Team GB boxing squad, one win away from Olympic gold with a final against Serik Sapiyev of Kazakhstan.

© Sportsbeat 2012