You will soon know the name, if you do not already. 25 year old Delicious Orie of Birmingham (born in Russia, later located to Wolverhampton in the UK) won Commonwealth gold last night at super-heavyweight. The fast, talented and superbly skilled Orie overcame a bad start to out-point India’s Sagar Ahlawat via unanimous decision over the three rounds.
It was a thrilling final, with both men digging deep in an attempt to win, with Ahlawat being quite badly cut above his left eye. Ahlawat won the opening round on all cards, yet Orie dug in and came back to win the second and then the third. It was a slugging match at some points, somewhat like a pro fight. Orie blasted some uppercuts and hooks into his rival’s chin, and his left jab served him well.
Orie – who defeated Nigel Paul (WUD), Uila Mau’u (WUD) and Ahlawat (WUD) at the Games – really does seem to be set for stardom. Inspired by “hero” Anthony Joshua, Orie is now expected to go on to attempt to win Olympic gold in 2024, while after that, maybe a glittering pro career will follow. The sky does seem to be the limit for this quite uniquely named boxer.
“The sky is the only limit,” Orie actually said yesterday evening after capturing his gold medal. “My inspiration has always been Anthony Joshua, that’s the bare minimum. I can’t wait for Paris, it’s only a short trip down the road. I can’t wait to be representing Great Britain. It’s going to be amazing.”
It may well prove to be an amazing ride for the fans who get behind and follow this gifted boxer. It has been a joy watching Orie box these past few days. Orie, who expressed deep gratitude to the fans in attendance who roared him on during last night’s thriller of a final, will no doubt have all the big promoters looking to get his signature when the day of his pro debut inevitably comes. Again, you will soon know the name Delicious Orie, if you do not already.