To claim middleweight silver at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last autumn, Anthony Ogogo beat "The Indian Beckham" in controversial circumstances in the semi-final. He also appeared in Big Brother Celebrity Hijack (this was a version of the show intended to invert the format of the original and featured young people with talent rather than the fame-hungry).
As well as taking that Commonwealth medal at 75kg, he won the Amateur Boxing Association of England title last May, two years after taking the welterweight crown. Then in November he took the middleweight title at the inaugural Great Britain Championships a few days before turning 22.
When and where did you start boxing and why?
It all started when a couple of my friends fell out during a game of football at school when I was 12. They came to blows but the mad thing was that the smaller, weedier guy got the better of the other guy who was much bigger and stronger. I asked him where he learnt to do that and he said it was at Triple A Boxing Club in Lowestoft. I decided to see what it was all about and because I did not want to go on my own, I dragged along the friend that came off worse in the dust-up! From the moment I walked into the gym I fell in love with it and have been going ever since.
Is there a history of boxing in your family?
None.
What other sports are you good at and were you ever tempted to stick with them rather than boxing?
I played football to a good standard. I was captain of the Suffolk Schools team and also played for Norwich City until the age of 14 but when it came to a choice between football and boxing I chose boxing.
Who has been the biggest influence in your career?
My mum and my four sisters are a big influence insofar as they have made me the person I am and I want to do well and make them proud.
From a boxing perspective, my coach at Triple A, John Cremin, has trained me for over 10 years and played a huge part in getting me where I am today.
What is the toughest part of your sport and how do you cope with that?
The thing I find toughest is the disappointment of losing. It is especially tough in a sport like amateur boxing where you have a judging and scoring system that can have a degree of subjectivity and means that sometimes you lose a contest that you think you have won. When that has happened to me I have been very frustrated by it.
Boxing is a weight-making sport so how do you cope with the pressure of constantly monitoring your weight?
Making weight is always in the back of your mind but on the GB programme we get a lot of help from the sports science and medical team provided by the English Institute of Sport (EIS). We have a big support team which includes a full-time nutritionist, who oversees what we eat in training camps and does a lot of education work with the GB squad about what to eat and drink when we are at home. It is a big help and takes away a lot of the stress around making the weight.
How would you describe your boxing style?
Orthodox but adaptable. The most important thing is to find a way to win.
What do you think of the point-scoring system and how does it affect your strategy in the ring?
The key thing is that I have learnt to be more patient. In the past I might have panicked if I was down on points after the first round, but one of the best bits of advice I have picked up from Rob McCracken, our performance director, is not to panic. He has taught me that if I stay focused and do what I am good at then the points will come.
Are three three-minute rounds better than four two-minute rounds?
I enjoyed four twos but I think three threes has made me a better boxer.
What is it about boxing that makes it special?
For me it is the sense of individual achievement. When I played a team sport like football it seemed that defeats affected me more than everyone else, so I just think I am more suited to an individual sport when I am in control of my own success or failure.
Who are the jokers in the squad?
Something funny always seems to go on around Tom Stalker. You can spend 23 hours with him and then the next day he will have a story about something funny that happened to him in the hour when you were not with him. Rob McCracken is also a source of funny boxing stories.
What do you do to relax away from training?
I just like to chill out and spend time with family and friends. As part of the GB boxing squad we spend a lot of time travelling abroad so it is really nice to be at home, although my mum and my four sisters do tend to boss me about a bit once I am back.
What music do you listen to?
I like all sorts especially R'n'B.
Favourite film?
I go to the cinema loads. The best film I have seen recently was The King's Speech. Not a great deal happens but it just left me feeling inspired and proud to be British.
Favourite all-time fighter?
Muhammad Ali. Not just for his boxing but for everything else he did outside of the ring.
Favourite current fighter?
I am patriotic so I like to see British boxers do well. Amir Khan has got great hand speed and is a really exciting boxer. I also like Carl Froch. His coach is Rob McCracken, so Carl regularly trains with us in Sheffield. He is a great boxer but very down-to-earth and a really nice guy. I've also sparred with Carl quite a few times and I hope I don't ever have to box someone that hits as hard as him in the whole of my career!
Who is the most promising amateur boxer in the country?
We've got lots on the squad here but the two that I would pick out are Luke Campbell and Martin Ward. Luke has a style that is so difficult to box against and he can beat anyone on his day. Wardy is just a great talent. He has a really relaxed style and I love to watch him box.
How many medals do you think Great Britain can win at the 2012 Olympics?
I don't want to put a number on it because you have to allow for issues like injuries and luck of the draw, but I think we will do well and expect both the boys and girls to win some medals.
