Galal Yafai completes arduous journey to win GB’s first Tokyo boxing gold

If ever there was a measure of how well Galal Yafai had managed the most important, pressure-filled moment of his career so far, it came in the immediate seconds after the third round of his final bout. He had played his hand so perfectly, dominant in the opening two rounds and then calm in the last, that as soon as it was over he already knew. Everyone knew. Yafai walked back to his corner with a rare, beaming smile across his face: “Oh, mate,” he said. “Wow.”

Moments later, what every single inhabitant of the sparsely populated Ryogoku Kokukigan already knew was confirmed. Yafai is the Olympic champion, victor in the flyweight division after a wonderfully crafted performance to see off Carlo Paalam of the Philippines. He is Great Britain’s first boxing gold medalist in Tokyo in a tournament that has produced the country’s highest total of Olympic medals in the sport – six – since Antwerp 1920.

Above all, this was personal vindication for the arduous journey that he took to this moment, the toils he has faced and overcome through the strength of his character. Yafai spent his early 20s working in a Land Rover factory, shifting boxes and detesting his work. Those around him continually offered words of encouragement about his prospective boxing career but he lacked the self-assurance that radiates from him now. He did not believe them.

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Asked how he would have reacted if someone told him back in those days that he would be Olympic champion, Yafai shook his head. “I’d laugh at them,” he said. “But to be fair all the coaches tell me: ‘Galal you’re going to be Olympic champion,’ and I say: ‘No chance.’ I’d just say: ‘Nah, they’re just saying that to be nice to me; they’re my coaches.’ But they were right.”

It also marks another, and certainly the most recognisable, addition to the overflowing family mantlepiece. In a sense, his older brothers paved the way – 30-year-old Gamal Yafai has won European and Commonwealth titles and Kal Yafai, 32, was a longtime WBA super-flyweight champion. But Galal Yafai has also trod his own individual path and he has been rewarded. He says that there is no competitiveness among them, just love.

“Whenever I do anything good it impacts them,” he said. “So if I’m Olympic champion it’s great on them, which I’m happy for. And when Kal does well and Gamal does well, it looks great on me as well. We’re a close-knit family and close-knit brothers so hopefully they can celebrate this with me too.”

The ease with which he controlled and dismantled his opponent belies how difficult this task was. Paalam had been nearly flawless in the tournament, demonstrating his speed and intelligence throughout as he lost just one round en route to the gold medal match.

No matter, Yafai cornered his foe from the beginning and never let him go. He was relentless. After harassing him throughout the opening minute, the pressure finally yielded a decisive moment as Yafai softened Paalam with a slick right-handed jab, which set up a beautifully straight left hand square in Paalam’s face. Paalam’s knees crumbled beneath him.

Yafai in charge against Carlo Paalam.

Yafai in charge against Carlo Paalam. Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

“I felt strong coming into the competition. I put him down. I was a bit surprised as well, I’ve given three counts now so I must have a bit of strength there,” said Yafai afterwards, pointing to his biceps.

After Paalam faced the standing eight count, Yafai immediately resumed his barrage of blows, comprehensively taking the first round. The judges duly rewarded him the round with 10-9s across the board.

There were signs of life from Paalam towards the end of the opener, however, and he grew into the intense second stanza as both men went after the other, trading blows with fearless aggression. But Yafai peppered Paalam with smooth left uppercuts throughout and whenever they came in close, he always seemed to have the final word. All but one judge awarded him the second round, putting him in an almost certain position for gold aside from disaster.

And he knew it. With victory in his hands, Yafai immediately adjusted his tactics. He spent the third round smartly managing the match, allowing Paalam to take the initiative and taking no risks himself. Paalam took the round but Yafai comfortably won the bout.

In the glow of his success, Yafai shrugged off the questions everyone wants to know about his future. There will be plenty of time for him to think about Commonwealth Games, world championships and particularly turning professional which, of course, is “a big thing that everyone wants to do”.

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For now, his only will is to enjoy an unhealthy meal, perhaps Five Guys, to see his family again in Birmingham and, above all, pass some time without thinking about boxing at all. What a family he will return home to.

“Thank God, he’s managed to bless us with boxing,” said Yafai. “We’ve just got to keep our heads down, keep working. I’m Olympic champion now, it sounds crazy saying I’m Olympic champion now. It hasn’t sunk in yet, I’m sure it will soon.”

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