The name suggested he was always destined to be Golden Delicious.
And so it proved for the 25-year-old Delicious Orie, who was inspired by Anthony Johsua to take up boxing and won super heavyweight gold in the 215th and final bout of Birmingham 2022.
Against India’s Sagar Ahlawat, Orie lost the opening round but fought back to win the remaining two rounds for a deserving Commonwealth Games gold just a few miles away from his Wolverhampton home.
Few boast a more circuitous and initially tougher route to British boxing colours. Born in Moscow to a Nigerian father and Russian mother, he relocated to England at the age of seven after his family faced years of racism.
The Orie family eventually settled in Wolverhampton four years later but it was not until the age of 18 that he took up boxing, a latecomer to the sport much like his inspiration, Joshua.
It was apt that the most local of fighters to these Commonwealth Games, who has a first in economics and management, should win gold in the final bout of the entire boxing schedule.
And in so doing, he marked a hat-trick of titles in this division for Team England with Joe Joyce and then Frazer Clarke.
Orie has made no secret he plans to turn professional in 2024 but he plans to be both a world and Olympic champion beforehand.
