It’s a catchy name, easy to remember, and in time, we could all know the name Delicious Orie. Over the weekend, the Russian-born British boxer captured a gold medal at the European games. Now, having also won Commonwealth gold, this last year, the 6’6” operator is aiming to capture Olympic gold in Paris next year. Now qualified for Paris, Orie says he aims to follow in the footsteps of Anthony Joshua, with whom he has sparred a good many sessions.
26-year-old Orie spoke with Sky Sports, and he said the experience he gained at the European Games “is priceless,” and the stuff he needed to be able to go on and win the Olympics next year.
“I got five solid fights with good opponents that wanted to win, and it’s only given me more confidence now for the Olympics next year, knowing that I can go five fights and a lot more after, I could go all the way in the Olympic stages,” Orie said. “This is the first step on the journey and we go again in one year. I’ve got a long time to really apply myself even more, really sharpen my tools, not just physically but mentally as well and get to that level where I put myself in a position where I deserve that Olympic gold medal. When you work so hard for something, waking up every day, training camps, taking beatings, losing teeth and then still having to be strong and still having that positive mindset to be like, ‘I’m going to qualify for the Olympics’, and then it actually happening.”
Orie, who comes across as likeable and easy to root for, says he wants the “magical feeling” of making it all work to last “for the rest of my life.” Legends such as George Foreman say the winning of Olympic gold, or of any Olympic medal, means more to them than any pro titles or prizes. The thrill and the sheer sense of pride in representing your country is truly something ultra-special, Foreman and others have said.
It is talk like that, and the kind of positive, inspiring words we’ve heard from Orie that really does drive home how terrible it would be if the sport of boxing was dropped from the Olympic schedule, as has been threatened quite recently. Talent like Orie look to the Games as their life-changing moment. Can Orie win gold next year, and if so can he then go on to become the next AJ, the next Foreman, the next Frazier….the next Ali?
Orie’s is already a fascinating story and the biggest pages of the story have almost certainly not been written yet. Again, we may all know the name very well very soon. Delicious Orie, it certainly rolls off the tongue with ease.
