Galal Yafai: ‘To beat a Cuban, you’ve got to be rough’

Galal Yafai

THE four years [since the last Olympics] have gone by very quick. Iโ€™m looking forward to it now. Obviously Iโ€™ve got more experience now.

Up until 2015 I hadnโ€™t been anywhere. My Olympic Games was the first major Iโ€™d ever been to. Luckily I took my chance and I did okay. It was more of an experience. Now Iโ€™ve done two World championships, the European championships, Commonwealth Games.

Iโ€™d been watching the Cuban, Yosbany Veitia, for years. Heโ€™s been around since 2012 and I remember watching him at the Olympic Games at 49kgs.

I saw him at the 2015 Worlds, saw him at Rio 2016 and then I saw him win the World championships in 2017. Then I move up to 52kgs and I get drawn against him [at the 2019 World championships]. To beat a Cuban youโ€™ve got to be rough with them. Thatโ€™s what I tried to do and it worked out.

The Cubans are alright. When they lose they take it on the chin and theyโ€™re respectful. I had a photo with him after, and I donโ€™t really do that often. But he was one of my favourite fighters as an amateur.

It was tough to take to then lose to the Frenchman [Billal Bennama] who I was expected to win against. But heโ€™s a good fighter.

Heโ€™s a European, these are the European qualifiers, so France will be there. Iโ€™ve learned. Iโ€™ve got to go there now, qualify now and hopefully I can get a bit of revenge on him.

We [the GB team] are all top fighters and all capable of going to the Olympics and all capable of getting medals.

At the European Games last year Rob [McCracken] asked me if I wanted to go at 49kgs. But I said thereโ€™s no point, I know the way itโ€™s going to go I might as well go up now and built into a proper 52kgs. I got a bronze there and picked for the Worlds and did what I did there.

Itโ€™s worked out alright for me. I feel strong at it. I feel better than I did at 49kgs. My strength has come up with me. Iโ€™ve just got to carry on.

We break down the full GB Olympic team here

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