JONAS JUNIAS JONAS must be hoping he never runs into another southpaw Scot again. The Namibian has only lost two fights throughout his Commonwealth Games career, one either side of becoming champion on Gold Coast four years ago.
It was Josh Taylor who handed Jonas his first taste of defeat in the 2014 final in Glasgow, a moment that served as a springboard for the Tartan Tornado to go on to become undisputed world champion after turning professional.
Jonas began these Games as favourite to again be crowned light-welterweight champion but had the misfortune yesterday at the quarter-final stage to come up against another Scot with a burgeoning reputation and the same will to win as Taylor. The Namibian’s biggest mistake then was to underestimate him.
Who knows what the long-term future holds for Reese Lynch – he’s spoken about a desire to compete at the Olympics - but in the short-term he now has at least a bronze medal guaranteed here and the chance to emulate Taylor by going all the way to take the gold.
At 21, Lynch is two years younger than Taylor was when he ascended to the top step in 2014 but is already a worldly-wise and confident competitor, having last year become the first Scot ever to land an amateur world championship medal. Boxing mostly in a counter-punching style with no raised guard, arms dangling by his side, he made surprisingly light work of the defending champion to advance to the last four, getting the nod from all five judges.
Lynch kept his distance for the most part but when the pair met on the ropes it was a blur of body shots, with heads, shoulders and elbows all colliding in the process. The Fauldhouse fighter seemed to thrust his head in the direction of his opponent at the end of the first round but the officials either never saw it or felt it didn’t merit being marked down.
Jonas wasn’t so lucky in the second, warned for a late hit after the referee had called “break”. Lynch then knew all he had to do in the third was to stay out of trouble as he bobbed and weaved with impressive dexterity to leave the champion punching at thin air.
The Scot couldn’t help but milk the moment as he goaded Jonas before letting out a huge roar come the final bell. Throwing away his gumshield, the 21 year-old bellowed into the television camera: “Statements! I’m here, my time, come on!” in a manner not dissimilar to Taylor’s trademark posturing.
The world champion had posted pictures online of his Glasgow 2014 triumph and was among the first to “like” Team Scotland’s post marking Lynch’s victory. The Scot now takes on Canada’s Wyatt Sandford in Saturday’s semi-final.
“I’m not stopping at bronze, I’m going all the way for gold,” he said, as if there was ever any doubt. “I had a bronze at the world championships so I’m going for more. I’m going for better.
“I’ve trained since I was a young boy and went to Glasgow in 2014 and watched the likes of Josh Taylor. So you’ve dreamt about this your whole life since you were young. It’s a dream come true.”
Team-mate Sam Hickey also remains on course for at least a bronze having reached the same stage at the European championships earlier this year.
The Dundonian looked well in control throughout the middleweight quarter-final against Adeyinka Benson, grinding down his Nigerian opponent’s resistance with a number of juddering blows to the body.
Benson survived two standing-eight counts in the final round but not a third as the referee waved off the fight to little complaint. Hickey will now take on Lewis Richardson of England for a place in the final.
“I had no doubts going into this tournament that I was going to be on the podium,” he said. “Getting bronze takes the pressure off a bit but I’m only here for the gold medal. This is my time to shine.”
Soon it would be three wins from three for the Scottish fighters as Sean Lazzerini progressed to the final four of the light-heavyweight division.
Up against switch-hitting Canadian Keven Beausejour, the Glaswegian was in full control of all three rounds as he cruised to a well-deserved unanimous decision. He will now face Yusuf Changalawe of Tanzania in the semi-finals with bronze guaranteed.
“I’m doing it for Scotland, for Team Lazzerini, for my pals and all my family,” he said. “Nobody is going to stop me. Gold has been my target from day one. I feel like I was born to fight in front of big crowds and put on a show for people.”
