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Saunders: Emphatic victory
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British duo Bradley and Billy Joe Saunders both began their bids for Olympic gold in impressive fashion in Beijing.
Welterweight Billy Joe, who at 18 is the youngest member of the British squad in Beijing, scored an emphatic victory over Turkey's Adem Kilicci.
Tipped as his country's best hope for a medal in the ring, world bronze medallist Kilicci had no answer to the slick southpaw style of the Hertfodshire teenager.
Growing in confidence as the fight progressed, Saunders never trailed as he won every round, picking up points with fast punches before moving out the way of his opponent's laboured efforts.
Staggered
He could well have forced a standing count in the second when Kilicci staggered back following a big right over the top.
"I've beaten the world bronze medallist by 10 points so I'm feeling great," Saunders said. "I've got to deal with this sort of pressure and if I do it then hopefully I'll get a medal for Great Britain.
"I've overcome this big step of getting into the ring for the first time and hopefully I'll continue to improve. I'm in a tough draw but I've got to stick to it and hopefully get through."
Next up for Saunders is the reigning Pan-American champion Carlos Banteaux Suarez of Cuba, a man he has already beaten this year.
Namesake Bradley didn't even need to go beyond the first round in his bout with Samuel Kotey Neequaye.
Quick finish
The Sedgefield light-welterweight fell 2-0 behind early on but then stopped his opponent from Ghana with a crunching left hand to the body inside the final minute.
Kotey crumpled to the canvas in a heap and was unable to recover in time altough he complained that the blow had been low.
However, replays showed Saunders had hit him perfectly under the ribs having already floored him earlier in the fight with a similar shot.
"I did start slow and I let the occasion get to me," he said afterwards.
"But I hurt him with the same punch earlier and he was wide open. I've definitely got the power and I proved it tonight."
Irish light-welterweight John Joe Joyce also made it through the opening round of the draw with a 9-5 win over Hungarian Gyula Kate.
