Wales’ Sammy Lee Set For Semi-Final Showdown With Cocksure Aussie

Eight months ago he struck gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas and now teenager Sammy Lee is one fight away from another shot at gold on the Gold Coast.

To do that, Lee has to beat cocky Australian and local favourite Clay Waterman in the semi-final.

The 19-year-old Lee, from the Premier ABC in Swansea, stepped into the senior international ring against Uganda’s Regarn Simbwa and came up with a 3-1 decision to set up a semi-final fight with Waterman in the 81kg class.

“My corner was telling me to hit him (Simbwa) with straight punches as he was a tall opponent,” said Lee.

He is now guaranteed at least a bronze medal, but added: “I am going for gold.”

The 22-year-old Aussie Lee comes from a long line of boxers in his family and became the first Australian amateur boxer to win a world title with his victory in the 46kg category at the World Junior Championships in Kazakhstan in 2011.

He went to the senior World Championship last year, reaching the last 16, and already has two wins under his belt at Gold Coast having beaten Scotland’s Sean Lazzerini 4-1 and Zambia’s Mbachi Kaonga 4-1.

He’s not short of confidence, either, and has said: “I definitely can beat anyone here. I’ve just got to turn up on the day.

“The first day I felt nervous but I’m starting to feel good now.”

A great moment for @sammylee173 winning his first senior international medal! @TeamWales @WelshBoxing @sport_wales pic.twitter.com/XDL91EQ8yr

— Welsh Amateur Boxing (@WelshBoxing) April 11, 2018

But not everyone is impressed by Waterman. Kaonga launched a furious verbal assault on the judges after losing his bout against the home favourite.

Kaonga was gobsmacked by the decision and quickly made it known, launching an abusive tirade during Waterman’s ringside interview with a New Zealand broadcaster.

The Zambian then fired up at reporters, accusing the judges — who hailed from China, Turkmenistan, Canada, England and the United States — of hometown bias.

“I f—ing won that fight. This is bullshit,” Kaonga said. “They are killing amateur boxing.

“Just because… it is his home ground, you give him the f—ing fight when he did not (win) the fight.”

A bemused Waterman said he had been expecting a unanimous decision in his favour.

“I don’t know how you can call it bullshit when he pretty much ran away the whole fight,” the Queenslander said.

“I just thought I was in control the whole fight. Oh well, each to their own.”