Damar Thomas has made clear he is determined to carve out his own path in boxing, rather than live in the shadow of the Team GB super-heavyweight stars he has now joined on the Commonwealth Games honours board.
The 21-year-old claimed gold in Glasgow by beating India's Narender Berwal via unanimous decision in the super-heavyweight category, following the trail blazed by Joe Joyce, Frazer Clarke and Delicious Orie.
At 6ft 6in, comparisons with Anthony Joshua were always going to follow him around, and Thomas is now widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in British heavyweight boxing heading towards the next Olympic cycle.
Speaking after his win, the 21-year-old, who has his sights set on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, made it clear he was not interested in measuring himself against those who came before him.
"Yeah, it's a great feeling [to win gold]. I managed to add my name to the British heavyweights that won the Commonwealth [gold]," he said.
"Hopefully in LA I'll be able to add my name to those great heavyweights that managed to get Olympic gold."
"I'm just in my own race at the minute and taking it in my own strides. I'm not comparing myself to anyone. I'm doing everything at my own pace, which is great. What I want to do is create my own legacy, which is a good feeling."
Thomas's win over Berwal was his 11th consecutive victory in a run stretching back to November, and it showcased the kind of ring craft that has made him such an exciting watch.
"My main asset is my feet and my speed," Thomas said.
"That's what works for me with these heavyweights, because a lot of these heavyweights rely on one shot. I don't rely on that, so it's great."
A rich amateur pedigree
Thomas, who was born on 31 December 2004 and is listed by Team England as being from Kilburn, according to Team England, already had a strong amateur résumé before his Glasgow triumph.
He previously claimed silver at the 2022 Youth World Boxing Championships and gold at the 2022 European Youth Boxing Championships, according to Wikipedia, and his unbeaten run has also included gold at the European under-23 championships and at the Strandja tournament, according to Sky Sports.
His success in Scotland was part of a wider theme for English boxing, with his gold marking England's fourth consecutive Commonwealth Games super-heavyweight title, according to England Boxing, who also reported that Team England finished the Glasgow 2026 boxing competition with 10 medals in total, including four gold and three silver on Finals Day.
Thomas built on the momentum highlighted in our earlier coverage of his push for gold as Britain's next heavyweight hope targets Glasgow gold, before ultimately delivering as Damar Thomas crowns Commonwealth run with gold as Team GB heavyweight prospect rises.
Berwal, meanwhile, took silver after the final, part of a record-breaking campaign for India's boxing team, who finished Glasgow 2026 with seven gold and three silver medals overall, according to The Tribune India. Bronze in the men's 90+kg category went to Teremoana Teremoana of Australia and Keoma-Ali Al-Ahmad of Scotland, according to SocialNews.XYZ.
For now, Thomas insists his sole focus is remaining an amateur through to Los Angeles, with a professional switch pencilled in only for afterwards.
"First, I want to tick off that box with LA. I'm taking one tournament at a time," he added.
"It's a marathon, not a sprint. And I'm just taking everything at my own pace."
"The main goal is the Olympics. Until then, I'm thinking about Olympics and nothing else. But after the Olympics, I'll definitely turn professional."
What happens next
Fresh from his Commonwealth triumph, Thomas has already sat down for further interview material touching on his Olympic ambitions, his eventual move into the professional ranks, and his current sparring partners, according to a video segment published by Sky Sports.
Elsewhere on the boxing calendar, fans can watch MVPW-06 in Birmingham, headlined by Mikaela Mayer vs Chantelle Cameron and featuring Caroline Dubois, live on August 29 on Sky Sports, with the option to get Sky Sports or stream boxing with no contract.
