Reese Lynch makes Scottish boxing history with team’s third gold of Games

Reese Lynch squeezed a split decision victory over Louis Collin of Mauritius to make Scottish boxing history as the team confirmed three gold medals at the same Commonwealth Games for the first time.

The 21-year-old light-welterweight earned the verdict on all but one of the five judges’ cards to emulate his compatriots Sam Hickey and Sean Lazzerini, who won their respective bouts earlier on Sunday.

“I’ve been saying from the start that we can do brilliant things and that put a bit of pressure on me after watching both my team-mates go out there and get gold,” said Lynch, a member of the GB squad who won a World Championship medal in 2021.

“We’ve been around each other for so long and I always knew we could reach these kinds of levels. I’m so proud to be part of such a record-breaking team and now my focus switches to going to the Olympics and adding to my medal collection.”

Lynch withstood a cut in the final round and earned a verdict that did not prove universally popular with the capacity crowd at the NEC, many of whom thought the clever Mauritian had done enough to deny the Scot his historic moment.

Hickey, 22, edged an even closer middleweight final over Australia’s Callum Peters, holding off a strong comeback in the last round from his opponent, while 25-year-old Lazzerini also got a split decision verdict in his light-heavyweight final against Taylor Bevan of Wales.

“Believing in yourself and actually going in the ring and doing something is different,” said Hickey. “You’ve got to be able to do a bit of everything. I’ve showed in this tournament I can box, I can fight, I can punch a bit, I’ve got a big future and I’m looking forward to showing what I can do in the next few years.”

Four years of bad luck melted