Delicious Orie: Britain’s next super-heavyweight hope aims to become local hero at Commonwealths

Delicious Orie is British boxing's next super-heavyweight prospect — or so he hopes.

The 24-year-old is aiming to box in his home town of Birmingham at the Commonwealth Games later this year and represent Team GB at the Paris Olympics.

Born in Moscow, his family moved to the UK when he was seven. Starting at a new school is never easy, least of all in Thamesmead when you're a boy called Delicious who can talk only in Russian.

«That was a big change for me, having to learn a completely new language, a language that's completely different to Russian as well,» says Orie with a smile.

«I was never an aggressive type of person, I was always quite reserved, quiet. I did feel the odd one out, especially with a name like Delicious as well. That again, as the cherry on the cake and to be even more weird, a person called Delicious who can't even speak English.

»That was another barrier but, I felt like over time, I just built that courage to be able to learn it quickly enough and get along with people in school and stuff like that and it just got easier and easier. But at the start, it was quite difficult."

Orie thrived in education. His family moved to the Midlands when he was 11 and he went on to win a place at Aston University. «Going to university was sort of like a thank you to mum and dad for getting me a better life, better opportunity,» he adds.

He has his degree, a first in economics, and can now focus entirely on boxing — a sport he pursued after seeing Briton Anthony Joshua become a world champion.

«You need that initial spark, whatever it is you want to do, a slight inspiration to do something,» Orie says. «I want to try to achieve what he's achieved and follow the same path.

»Before I even started boxing I just knew this is