Golden boy Pat McCormack will begin his bid for European Games glory on Saturday.
The Commonwealth Games and European Union champion is Great Britain’s hot pick in the boxing ring in Minsk.
One half of the dynamic McCormack twins, Pat is going for gold in the U69 kilo sectioning the Belarus capital.
The number one seed will be one of the first through the ropes in the packed welterweight section, facing Hungary’s Lazlo Kozak.
Pat’s Birtley team-mate, Mark Dickinson, is also in action on Saturday at middleweight.
The gold medallist from the Gee Bee tournament in Finland earlier this year is taking part in his first major championship.
Dickinson will face Ireland’s Michael Nevin in the last 16.
Cheavon Clarke, seeded one at U91 kilos, starts his campaign on Sunday in the quarter-finals against Estonia’s Ainar Karlson.
Monday sees four boxers in action – Galal Yafai, seeded fourth at U52 kilos, number one U56 kilos seed Peter McGrail and second Over 91 kilo seed, Frazer Clarke, while U69 kilo Rosie Eccles faces Ireland’s Grainne Walsh in the last 16.
Yafai takes on Hungary’s Martin Vibrant in the last 16, McGrail meets Belarus’s Vasile Usturio and Clarke tackles the winner of Nelvie Tiafack and Adam Kulik.
Calum French, seeded four at U60 kilos, Luke McCormack, third seed at U64 kilos, and number two U81 kilo seed, Ben Whittaker, all box on Tuesday.
French takes on the winner of Francesco Maietta and Kiril Rusonov, Luke awaits the winner of Milan Fodor-Per Novak and Whittaker faces Poland’s Mateusz Goinski in the last 32 bout.
Number two seed in the female middleweight division, Lauren Price, is the last British boxer to start her programme, with a quarter-final on Wednesday. She will face the winner of Viktoryia Kebikava and Aoifie O’Rourke.
Words: Roy Kelly
