Welsh light-middleweight boxer Orlando Holley-Sotomi secured a Commonwealth Games silver medal after a split decision defeat by Northern Ireland’s Jon McConnell in the 70kg final.
The first round went 3-2 in Holley-Sotomi’s favour but he lost the second round and also had a point deducted after earlier warnings by the referee for his head being too low.
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Holley-Sotomi tried to force the decision in the final round and landed a blow on his opponent’s chin.
But McConnell, who skipped the chance to be on Love Island to make his Commonwealth Games debut, was crowned champion by the judges.
The Welsh boxing squad will finish with four medals after Rosie Eccles and Owain Harris-Allan had claimed bronze, while Connor-Williams is guaranteed a silver or gold as he prepares for his final straight after Holley-Sotomi.
Holley-Sotomi has been Wales’ breakout boxing star of these games after starting with a last-16 victory over his more-fancied English opponent Paddy Hewitt.
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The 22-year-old from Newport really announced himself in the quarter-finals with a thunderous first-round knockout of Lesotho’s Refiloe Thai.
Knockouts of such brutality are rare in amateur boxing but the man nicknamed ‘The General’ looked every bit the professional.
His statement knockout set up a semi-final against Mauritius’ Merven Clair, which he won unanimously to set up the final.
Holley-Sotomi was a promising rugby player when he first began boxing at 15.
He was in the Dragons rugby academy and picked up the sport in order to improve his fitness, and became a three-time Welsh champion before this Commonwealth campaign.
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