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DeGale: Certain of going home with at least a bronze from Beijing
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James DeGale made certain of a third medal for Britain's boxing team with an impressive 8-3 win over Kazakhstan's Bakhiyar Artayev.
The middleweight never trailed against an opponent who had been crowned Olympic champion four years ago, albeit at welterweight.
An early left hand that scored the only point of the first round for DeGale and set the tone for the four-round contest at Beijing's Workers' Gymnasium.
By the end of the second he had cruised into a 4-1 advantage, Artayev having no answer to the southpaw's slick style, and the left over the top in particular.
Desperation
The Kazhak poured forward in desperation in the closing round but still couldn't do enough to land a scoring blow.
Instead it was DeGale who had the last word, a timely right putting him well clear and making sure he would avenge a loss to the same opponent in Sheffield earlier this year.
"I can beat anyone in the world if my tactics are right, and Terry (Edwards, head coach) and I got the tactics perfect," he said afterwards.
"I knew I could beat him. I boxed him in Sheffield in January and I knew my movement and angles would win it. Amateur boxing is all about hitting and not getting hit."
Next up for the man known as 'Chunky' is Irishman Darren John Sutherland, who managed a surprise result of his own to reach the semi-finals.
A medallist at the last world championships, Alfonso Blanco Parra was expected to progress through.
Outclassed
Instead the Venezuelan was outclassed from start to finish, managing to pick up just a point as he slumped to an 11-1 loss.
Sutherland was overjoyed at the final bell as he became the third Irishman to make sure of at least a bronze at the 2008 Games.
"It feels absolutely brilliant, especially to beat Blanco," he said.
"He beat me in the world championships and he was really the catalyst to make me think about my fighting style and my training."
"I've boxed against Degale before. It's nothing personal and we're always in exciting fights."
After not having two boxers clash in Olympics before, Great Britain and Ireland will now go toe-to-toe twice on Friday.
While DeGale and Sutherland, who has won four of their previous five meetings, square off at middleweight, Tony Jeffries will go up against the Irish's impressive light-heavyweight Kenny Egan.
