Former Olympic champion Audley Harrison has said that his gold medal in 2000 paved the way for Britain's current success in the boxing.
Speaking after Anthony Joshua's semi-final victory, Harrison said that the state funding which followed his 2000 gold medal gave the amateur game a much-needed boost.
"Boxing wasn't a lottery-funded sport in 1998, I had a lot of offers from the likes of Frank Warren to turn pro," said Harrison.
"After I won the Commonwealth Games in 1998, I sat down with them said 'If you want me to win gold in Beijing, I've got to get paid. This sport needs to become funded because otherwise I'm going to turn professional'.
"So I set up a boxing union, and with my gold medal it's part of the reason why boxing is now a lottery funded sport. So when I look back I know how proud I am of my contribution to Olympic style boxing."
Harrison will face the British and Commonwealth champion David Price in October.
Nik Simon
