SUNDERLAND has hardly been a byword for sporting success in recent years but, when the Commonwealth Games boxing tournament starts today, Tony Jeffries will be desperate to uphold the city's proud gold-medal winning heritage.

In 2002, Sunderland ABC's David Dolan won the Commonwealth Games super-heavyweight title in Manchester. Four years on, and Wearsider Jeffries is hoping to emulate his sparring partner in the light heavyweight division.

"I was at the final in Manchester when David won his medal four years ago," said Jeffries, who turned 21 at the start of this month. "His success inspired me. I would like to fare as well as he did.

"I've come to Melbourne with the intention of bringing back the gold. That's what I expect to do.

"I wouldn't travel all that way if I didn't think that I could win it. I have to be one of the favourites, just like most of the guys in the England team are. I have no excuse not to do well because I'm starting in great shape."

While most boxers display an unshakable self-confidence, Jeffries' bravado is particularly well-founded.

The Sunderland fighter, who is a seasoned England international, was crowned senior ABA champion when he won a dramatic bout in London last December.

But, while victory cemented his reputation as one of hardest amateur hitters, it almost ended his Commonwealth dream.

"I damaged a ligament in a knuckle on my right hand," said a boxer who is one of the figureheads of England's 11-man squad.

"At the time, I didn't worry much about it, I just shrugged it off as a bit of pain. But it turned out to be worse than I first thought and it has been troublesome at times.

"There was a time when people were saying it might have been touch and go, but it never crossed my mind that it might stop me going to the Commonwealth Games because there's no way I would have let it.

"Even if it had been bad, I would have still gone and fought and just not told anyone. It means so much to me to be going that I would have boxed with a bad hand."

Despite finishing his training with the aid of a special cast, Jeffries proved his fitness with an impressive warm-up win over Ihsan Tarhan, a Turkish boxer with Olympic experience.

A repeat of that form should be enough to put him in amongst the medals, and lead to the inevitable questions about swapping his amateur status for the professional ranks.

"I will just have to wait and see what happens in the future," said Jeffries. "I'm making no rash decisions. If I were to come back from Melbourne with the gold medal, I think I would stay amateur and wait for the Olympics. But that can be a risky thing to do.

"David did that and then didn't get selected for Athens. So there are no guarantees. It's the big decision all amateur boxers must make in these situations."

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