Jeffries looks to make big impact

Sunderland boxer Tony Jeffries is heading to the 2008 Beijing Olympics determined to make a major impact.

"I'd like to turn professional but at the moment I'm concentrating on the Olympics," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"I think I've got a very good chance of getting a medal and if I stop injury free I could go all the way.

"I'm a big, big puncher and with being a puncher anything could happen. When I get there I'll concentrate on one fight at a time and hopefully get a medal."

Light-heavyweight Jeffries lives a lifestyle that is a million miles away from the highly-paid glamour of fighters such as Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather.

"I took a bank loan out to buy a burger van, I made some money through that and now I can afford to train at the same time"
Boxer Tony Jeffries

However the drive and passion to scale those heights is certainly in his armour.

"As an amateur you don't get paid like the professionals do. I get lottery funded but I had to do something else," he said.

"I took a bank loan out to buy a burger van, I made some money through that and now I can afford to train at the same time."

Before Jeffries travels to the Olympics he will be representing Great Britain in a tournament in Finland and hopes to get an idea of the competition he will face over in Beijing.

"Training is going brilliantly. It's all preparation for the Olympic games," he said.

"It'll be good opposition. It will be good to get in the ring with the lads I might face in the Olympics."

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