Luke and Pat McCormack are guaranteed medals at the Commonwealth Games.
Luke was first in action in the Gold Coast, breaking Australian hearts in his U64 kilo quarter-final. Pat repeated the trick, also winning his last eight tie by unanimous decision, defeating Uganda’s Musa Bwogi at U69 kilo.
Lightning Luke, the light-welterweight, from Washington, outclassed Australia’s Liam Wilson to go through to Friday’s semi-finals.
All five judges awarded the verdict to Luke, making him the first of the Birtley boxing trio to reach the last four.
Luke will win the minimum of a bronze medal, but victory over Jonas Jonas of Namibia this Friday will see him contest gold with the winner of Thomas Blumenfeld, from Canada, and Ghana’s Jesse Lartey.
McCormack had to beat not only Campbell, but quieten the passionate home crowd at the Oxenford Studios.
“The crowd was pretty noisy out there,” said Luke. “But I just wanted to shut them up.
“I thought I boxed really well and I even got to showboat a bit, to remind the judges how easy I was finding it.”
Luke (pictured right, with Birtley team-mates Calum French and brother Pat) won silver at the European Championships last year in the Ukraine and won the Olympic test event gold in Rio in 2015, but gold here is what he really wants.
“It’s a bronze medal but I’m not even bothered about bronze, I want gold, nothing less.”
Pat was equally as supreme in his last-right tie with Bwogi.
And the 22-year-old said he has plenty in reserve for his semi-final contest this Friday.
“I never emptied the tank,” said the European Championship silver medallist.
“I’ve got plenty more to give.
“I watched Luke on the television and I love his showboating, I think he gave the crowd something to enjoy even though he beat the Aussie.”
Pat will face a familiar foe on Friday at the Oxenford Studios, India’s Manoj Kumar, who beat Aussie, Terry Nickolas, on a split decision in his quarter-final.
“I’ve boxed him before at the Worlds qualifier two years ago,” explained Pat. “I won every round but we’ve both moved up a weight since then. He’s a decent boxer but if I perform then I will beat him.”
The McCormacks team-mate, Calum French also tackles Indian opposition tomorrow, facing Manish Kashik in the last eight at lightweight.
Words: Roy Kelly
