A Commonwealth Games boxing match only lasts nine minutes, but there was a wee bit of afters outside the ring following Nick Devlin’s split-decision win over Ebenezer Ankrah from Ghana.
A tight bout in the men’s 60kg, the Scotsman was granted a little bit of breathing space courtesy of Ankrah’s point deduction for handling in the third round. Coorie in, son.
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At times, it appeared he was hanging onto the 25-year-old with dear life, but when the warning was issued, Ankrah’s camp, supporters and Ghanaian media were livid.
Heckles to the referee pierced through the jubilant home support who had just watched Devlin move to one fight away from a medal, and they continued out onto the concourse post-fight.
Volunteers shifted to the side as Ankrah’s coaches and media vented their frustration. Eventually, 20 minutes or so post-fight, things started to cool down.
The Scot, who has swapped stacking shelves at Aldi for reaching a Commonwealth Games quarter-final with his country, was left unfazed by the reaction, though. In fact, it spurred him on a wee bit more.
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“It just gave me that extra 10%, in addition to the incredible noise the home supporters made again,” Devlin told BBC Scotland.
“I could hear my team shouting in between rounds and that’s only helping as well.
“I can’t thank them enough, they’re the best team in the world.
“I just want to go and win a medal for them as well.”
Kerr canters on in with split-decision victory
Later in the evening, Sonny Kerr secured his place in the men’s 70kg quarter-finals with a split-decision win over Kenya’s Boniface Maina.
An unanimous scoring in the second round – which included a knockdown – was required, as was a deduction for the Kenyan on an otherwise tight card.
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He’ll face Samoan Marion Ah Tong in Wednesday’s quarter-final.
Neely in tears after point deduction
There was heartbreak for Brooke Neely in the women’s 51kg last 16 after she was handed two point deductions in her defeat to Sri Lanka’s Nadeeka Ranasinghe.
The Irvine-born 25-year-old couldn’t hold back the tears post-bout as she insisted if it wasn’t for her deductions in rounds two and three for handling, she would have reached the quarter-finals.
“I was happy with my draw, I usually get unlucky in tournaments but this was my first big one,” she told TNT Sports.
“I’ve been working for 12 years to get here, it’s heartbreaking.”
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