No gold, but a good start in his new weight division.
That’s the assessment of Calum French following his light-welterweight debut at the Golden Glove tournament in Serbia.
The 24-year-old defeated hometown fighter, Marko Cuetanovic, on a unanimous verdict in his opening bout before losing on a split decision to Cuba’s Yoangel Moya.
French’s change in weight has been an enforced one after seeing his old lightweight 60 kilos category disappear in the pre-Olympic re-organisation, with light-welter now 63 kilos instead of 64.
“I felt good at the tournament – my first one at my new weight category,” said the Birtley ABC star.
“I feel so much better at this weight, my timing, my distance, and my reactions are all starting to come back now I’m not killing myself to make the weight.”
French, a tournament medalist at lightweight in 2017 and 2018, certainly showed significant promise at 63 kilos in Pancevo, despite missing out on the final.
Being paired with a Serbian in his opening contest will certainly have sharpened the French mind, as he explained.
“With it being in his home town I knew I would have to do a job on him,” he told punch-lines. “I started fast and went through the gears well, landing the cleaner shots all the way through and came away with a unanimous decision.”
Next up was a very close and exciting tussle with Moya and despite being outpointed (two of the three judges gave it to the blue corner), French was happy with his performance.
“I had watched him box against Lazaro Alvarez in the Cuba nationals and lose narrowly,” added Calum. “He was a good mover on the back foot which all Cubans are.
“I thought I controlled the bout well and in my opinion and the GB coaches’ opinions I won every round, but I’ll admit they were close competitive rounds.
“It was a real high-level skilled bout.
“I thought I was catching him more and more as the bout went on and he started to become frustrated, sticking his tongue out and raising his arm when he hadn’t even hit me.
“I was confident at the end of the bout but he got the nod on a 2-1 split decision.”
It was a shame he missed out on the gold medal bout, but a happier and healthier Calum should make for a better athlete – there are certainly no skills issues for the Gateshead boxer.
The loss of his division brings him into direct competition with friend and Birtley team-mate, Luke McCormack, so that will prove an interesting duel in the build up to the Olympic Qualifying tournament in London in March.
Next up for Calum, Luke and the GB squad will be a training camp in Kazakhstan in January.
French was part of a four-man team in Serbia, where Carl Fail and George Crotty were beaten at 75 and 81 kilos while Connor Loftus beat Nicolae Busca, from Moldova, at 69 kilos before losing on a split decision to Morocco’s Zine Anroug.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Ian Horrocks
