Britain's heavyweight boxing landscape is flourishing, boasting a roster that includes the likes of Daniel Dubois, Moses Itauma, Fabio Wardley, as well as household names such as Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. While the professional circuit thrives, the amateur ranks are also producing promising talent, and one name that is beginning to stand out is London’s own Damar Thomas.
Only 21 years of age, Thomas is a towering six‑foot‑six left‑handed super‑heavyweight who has already begun to make a name for himself on the international stage. If he can add further medals to his growing collection, he could firmly establish himself as a serious contender for Olympic glory.
His next major test arrives at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where he will step into the ring for his inaugural bout of the tournament with the gold medal firmly in his sights. "It'll be fantastic to fight in Glasgow. I’m treating it like any other competition," Thomas told Sky Sports.
"The size of the event doesn’t change my approach – I’m going to give it my all and fight with everything I have." He continued, "The competition will be fierce, so I need to be in peak condition and do whatever it takes to achieve my goal – the gold medal." Thomas’s journey to this point has not been without setbacks. At the previous year's World Championships he faced the legendary Cuban Julio La Cruz, a two‑weight Olympic champion and five‑time world champion. La Cruz, who had moved up a weight class, managed to out‑maneuver the young Briton despite Thomas’s strong start, ultimately taking the decision and leaving Thomas just short of a podium finish.
Since that disappointment, Thomas has embarked on a remarkable winning streak. He captured gold at the European Under‑23 Championships, where he impressively stopped two of his three opponents – a first‑round stoppage in the quarter‑finals and a second‑round knockout in the final. He followed that success with another gold at the prestigious Strandja tournament, often regarded as a miniature world championship.
In Strandja, Thomas dispatched Brazil’s Joao Batista Gomes Da Silva in a single round on his way to the title, underscoring his growing reputation as a knockout artist. Reflecting on his loss to La Cruz, Thomas said, "Facing Julio taught me a lot.
I took the positives and learned from the negatives. Since then I’ve worked on fixing my mistakes and building on what worked, and the results speak for themselves." Stoppages are rare in elite amateur boxing, where matches are usually decided on points, making Thomas’s ability to halt opponents all the more notable. His aggressive style, combined with his height and reach advantage, allows him to dictate the pace and land decisive blows that often leave his adversaries unable to continue. Thomas’s confidence is buoyed by the strong start of his England teammates at the Commonwealth Games.
On the opening day, all four English boxers secured victories. Ellis Trowbridge, the son of three‑weight world champion Duke McKenzie, overwhelmed Vanuatu’s Ricksen Nomleas in the 55 kg division, prompting a referee stoppage after barely a minute.
Lauren Mackie out‑scored Kenya’s Amina Faki at 54 kg, while lightweight Lucy Kings‑Wheatley handled Papua New Guinea’s Petronella Nokenoke. Patris Mughalzai, a fellow member of the Powerday Hooks club alongside Thomas, comfortably outpointed Ghanaian welterweight Abdul Wahid Omar. Other English prospects to keep an eye on include rising flyweight Ruby White, who fights on Monday, London welterweight Sacha Hickey and heavyweight Isaac Okoh, both slated for Tuesday, and Olympian Chantelle Reid, who will compete on Wednesday.
Thomas knows the stakes are high. "I was devastated to exit in the quarter‑finals at the World Championships," he admitted. "Since then I’ve made huge strides, and I intend to prove that progress in Glasgow.
The work I’ve put in is paying off, and I’m determined to bring home the gold for England." Beyond the Commonwealth Games, the broader boxing calendar remains packed. Fans can look forward to high‑profile match‑ups such as Edgar Berlanga versus Steven Butler and Richardson Hitchins versus Ricardo Salas, both airing live on Sky Sports from New York on Sunday night. Those events, along with the now‑contract‑free streaming options on NOW, ensure that boxing enthusiasts have plenty of action to follow.
As the Glasgow Games approach, all eyes will be on Damar Thomas. His blend of size, skill, and a growing knockout pedigree positions him as a genuine threat in the super‑heavyweight division. Whether he can translate his recent successes into Commonwealth gold remains to be seen, but his determination and recent record suggest he is more than capable of seizing the moment and adding his name to Britain’s illustrious list of heavyweight champions.