Peter McGrail looks forward to the London qualifier

Peter McGrail

ITโ€™s the Olympics, you donโ€™t know until youโ€™ve got your ticket to go. But obviously I was made up to be selected and Iโ€™m looking forward to putting on a show for the UK crowd. Thereโ€™s going to be a few people coming down from Liverpool as well.

Itโ€™s going to be great. Weโ€™re used to be boxing in mad countries, Russia, all over the world. For it to be in London, itโ€™s right on your doorstep really compared with other places that weโ€™ve boxed.

We went out to Rio [in 2016] to help the lads spar. Ever since then I knew I wanted to compete at the Olympics. It doesnโ€™t even feel like that long ago. The years have flown by, Iโ€™ve done well. Iโ€™ve medalled at every major tournament Iโ€™ve been to. The Olympics, the final major, would make it six out of six for me.

I want to get my qualifying spot [for Tokyo 2020] but Iโ€™ll be looking to win the qualifiers as well. At the last European Games I got a bronze but I still feel like Iโ€™m one of the best if not the best in Europe in my weight category. In the last two World championships actually Iโ€™ve been the only person from the continent of Europe to be on the podium, that will give me a lot of confidence as well.

peter mcgrail
Peter McGrail performed well at the World championships AIBA

Thereโ€™s a few good kids at the weight but I believe Iโ€™m the best at the weight and I believe I can come away with from the qualifier with a gold medal and my qualification spot.

If you look at the last Europeans, youโ€™ve got obviously [Mykola] Butsenko from Ukraine, heโ€™s had two silver medals, and Kurt Walker, who won the last one, he got a gold.

The way I see it, I make sure Iโ€™m in the best condition I can be and I just take one fight at a time. I donโ€™t necessarily worry about anyone until I know Iโ€™m coming up against them.

I just make sure Iโ€™m in the best condition I can be in, 100%, then take one fight at a time.

Tickets for the European Olympic qualification event, March 14-24 at the Copper Box in London, are on sale now at https://see.tickets/boxingroadtotokyo with prices starting at ยฃ5 (ยฃ2.50 concessions) for many of the sessions at the biggest Olympic boxing event to take place in England since the 2012 Olympic Games.

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