Boxer Richardson secures medal for Team GB

Light-middleweight Lewis Richardson secured at least a bronze medal for Team GB at the Paris Olympics by beating Zeyad Eashash to reach the semi-finals.

The southpaw, 25, dropped to his knees after securing a split decision victory over his Jordanian opponent.

After a scrappy, hectic bout, Richardson was given the win by three of the judges with two awarding the fight to Eashash.

Richardson will fight 22-year-old Mexican second seed Marco Verde in the semi-finals on Tuesday, when the boxing moves from the North Paris Arena to the tennis courts of Roland Garros.

If he wins he will progress to the gold-medal match but if he loses he will return with bronze.

"Amazing - one of the most special moments of my life," said Richardson.

"People can keep doubting me all they want but I can definitely go all of the way."

Richardson was the last Briton standing in the boxing and had he lost the team would have left an Olympics without a medal for the first time since 1996.

He was also the last of the Team GB boxing quintet to qualify for Paris and there were tears when he secured his place at the final qualifying event in May.

Richardson originally only got into boxing to get fitter for football but now has an Olympic medal guaranteed, having had to drop down a weight after his preferred category was removed from the Olympic programme.

Having narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Tokyo Games, he almost gave up on his Olympic dream when injuries kept him out of the ring for a year.

"I am living my dream right now," added Richardson. "The last two weeks, these are my dreams.

"I belong here.

"Doubters in the past said otherwise but I have proved them wrong on the biggest stage in the world. It will be in the history books forever."

As both men fought to land the critical blow there were numerous warnings from the referee for the use of elbows and striking the back of the head, and most for Richardson’s opponent.

There were boos from those supporting the Jordan fighter at the end but it is Richardson who will progress – much to the relief of the British team. He is the only British boxer to win a bout in Paris.