Gosport boxer Mateusz Bereznicki aims to take another step towards European under-22 championship glory
Mateusz Bereznicki is preparing to take another step towards his goal of becoming European under-22 champion this evening.
The Gosport-based Polish boxer comes up against Slovakian David Michalek for the right to reach the semi-finals of the age group competition in Italy.
Bereznicki, 20, who is reigning under-23 and senior heavyweight champion in his homeland, began his quest for under-22 European Championship glory by claiming a points win in his bout against Lithuanian Dariu Voisnarovic at the weekend.
Speaking prior to the competition, the 91kg category Pole outlined his desire to return from the European event with the top prize.
Bereznicki said: 'I’ve done everything I could, as much as I could. I feel really good as well and that’s what matters the most.
‘As long as I feel good and prepared, I know I can win it. I’m not going there to get a bronze medal or a silver medal, I’m going there to get a gold medal.
‘If I get a medal, any sort of medal in the Europeans, that’s a big achievement. It’s just good, especially if I ever want to turn pro, the fact you’re a European medallist is a big deal.
‘It’s a big opportunity and I’m very grateful that I can take part in it.
‘I know, even in England if you’re a champion or something like that, it’s really hard to even get selected.
‘I think only people in GB who are on the squad go to the Europeans and stuff like that, so I’m really, really lucky being from Poland.'