Chunky charges into final by Ian McNeilly Aug 22nd 2008

British middleweight James 'Chunky' Degale waltzed into the Olympic final with a convincing 10-3 victory over Ireland's Darren Sutherland. The pair had met five times previously with the Irishman winning four, so the result marks a significant turnaround of fortunes for the 22-year-old from Hammersmith - on the most significant stage of all for amateur boxing. A typically cagey opener saw scores level at 1-1, with the pattern set - Degale boxing on the back foot with Sutherland, guard tight, trying to close down the gap. A counter right and a left uppercut in the second saw the Englishman move 4-1 ahead. In the third, Usain Bolt like, Degale simply moved up another gear and before Sutherland knew where he was, he was 8-1 down. He nicked back a point at the end but, unless he stopped Degale, six points into two minutes wouldn't go. Two right hands eased Degale to 10-2 but then a cracking right hook from Sutherland must have had coach Terry Edwards on tenterhooks - it buzzed Degale but he rode it well to run out a 10-3 winner. The classy middle is guaranteed a silver but on this showing can definitely bring home the biggest prize of all. He faces Cuban Emilio Bayeaux Correa who is a two-time Pan American champion and a bronze medallist from the 2005 World Championships. The bout will take place tomorrow at 1.46pm BST.

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