Britain’s heavyweight boxing scene in thriving. In Daniel Dubois, Moses Itauma, Fabio Wardley and of course Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, the UK has a host of world class fighters in the professional ranks.

London’s Damar Thomas is looking to carry the torch through the amateur sport. Still just 21 years old, a six foot six southpaw super-heavyweight, he could mark himself out as a genuine Olympic contender if he wins some more international silverware.

On Wednesday Thomas will have his first bout in the Commonwealth Games boxing tournament as he targets the most high profile medal of his career.

“It’s going to be great to fight in Glasgow. I’m taking it as another competition,” Thomas told Sky Sports. “It doesn’t matter how big it is, I’ll take it as another competition and get stuck in.

“It doesn’t matter how big the tournament is, I take everything really serious,” he added.

“There’s going to be great competition there. I need to be in the best shape I can be and do everything that I can to get the success I want, which is the gold medal.”

Thomas fell just short of guaranteeing himself a medal at the World championships last year. He was facing Olympic legend Julio La Cruz, already a two-weight Olympic champion and a five-time World gold medallist.

La Cruz had moved up in weight and despite Thomas’ strong start the wily, hyper-skilled veteran managed to outfox the young Briton and pocket the decision.

Since then however Thomas has been on a fine winning run, picking up gold medals at the European under-23 championships and the Strandja, another top calibre tournament.

“Since I boxed La Cruz, I know what I could have done better, you take the positives with the bad. Since then I’ve worked on what I done wrong and I’ve worked on what I done good and could have done more,” Thomas said.

Stoppages in elite class, evenly matched amateur boxing bouts are rare. But Thomas has been halting his opponents.

“I had three fights [at the European under-23 championships] and I stopped two people. I stopped the boy in the finals in the second round and then the quarter-finals in the first round,” Thomas noted.

At the Strandja tournament, often viewed as a mini World championships, he took out Brazil’s Joao Batista Gomes Da Silva in one round en route to winning the whole event. It’s a sign of how far he could go – “to the top”.

“I was gutted that I lost in the quarter-finals of the World championships,” Thomas said. “Since then I’ve come on leaps and bounds, I’m going to prove it to everyone when everyone comes and watches me in Glasgow.

“Since then look what I’ve done. Since the World championships look what I’ve done. So what I’m doing is obviously working and I’ll look to carry it on in Glasgow and get a gold medal.”

Strong start for England

Thomas’ England team-mates got off to a strong start on the first day of the Commonwealth Games on Friday with all four of their boxers winning their bouts.

Ellis Trowbridge, the son of three-weight world champion Duke McKenzie, outclassed Vanuatu 55kgs Ricksen Nomleas, who was pulled out by the referee after little more than a minute.

Lauren Mackie outscored Kenya’s Amina Faki at 54kgs, while lightweight Lucy Kings-Wheatley handled Petronella Nokenoke of Papua New Guinea.

Patris Mughalzai, a clubmate of Thomas at Powerday Hooks, won his opening contest, unanimously outpointing Ghanaian welterweight Abdul Wahid Omar.

Other top England prospects to watch out for include rising flyweight Ruby White, who boxes on Monday; London welterweight Sacha Hickey and heavyweight Isaac Okoh, who will both be in action on Tuesday and Olympian Chantelle Reid who’ll box on Wednesday.

Watch Edgar Berlanga vs Steven Butler and Richardson Hitchins vs Ricardo Salas in New York from 10pm on Sunday, live on Sky Sports. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW

United States President Donald Trump said LeBron James might be “a racist” when asked if the basketball star is the “best ever” to play the sport.

James, 41, announced on Friday he is set to continue his glittering career with the Philadelphia 76ers.

When asked about the move in a White House news conference later, Trump explained why he believed Michael Jordan was the better player.

Jordan, 63, won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s and NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) five times.

When asked whether Jordan or James was the “best ever”, Trump said: “Michael Jordan is a guy that’s a friend of mine. I play golf with him. He’s a really good guy.

“I think LeBron is, maybe he’s a racist, but maybe he doesn’t like Trump. I don’t know. I only like people that like me, so I would say Michael Jordan all the way.”

James, who has not responded to Trump’s comment, has been a regular critic of Trump during his terms as president and endorsed Democrat candidates Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris when they ran against him.

In 2017 he referred to Trump as “a bum” following a row over invitations to the White House for NBA-winning teams.

James has won four NBA titles with the Miami Heat (twice), the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers.

He has been named the league’s MVP four times and is the NBA’s all-time leader in points and games played.

James will be looking to secure a fifth title with the 76ers following his announcement on Friday that he is heading to Philadelphia.

They now boast the talents of James and All-Stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown.

“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team,” James said in a lengthy post on social media.

Calandagan, Masquerade Ball and a Ballydoyle quartet headline a scintillating renewal of the King George from Ascot – live on Sky Sports Racing.

3.35 Ascot – Calandagan and Masquerade Ball among vintage field

A red-hot renewal of this Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes sees last year’s winner Calandagan headline a field of nine.

Francis-Henri Graffard’s stable star finished last season as the world’s best racehorse and has followed a similar path this. Having claimed the Dubai Sheema Classic in Meydan, he was beaten on soft ground at Epsom before bouncing back to land the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. That was a sixth top-level success, and he sets a high standard under Mickael Barzalona.

Last year’s Tenno Sho scorer Masquerade Ball was just a head behind Calandagan in the Japan Cup in November and returned with a solid second behind Romantic Warrior in Hong Kong. That was over 10 furlongs, and he will appreciate the extra distance. Doubts remain about his suitability to the track, but there is no doubt he is a top class operator and Japan have high hopes he will be the one to finally end their King George hoodoo.

Kalpana and Goliath are closely matched on their Hardwicke placed efforts, while Aidan O’Brien saddles four runners, headlined by Benvenuto Cellini. A winner of the Irish Derby on his last outing, he ought to have more to offer as he tackles his elders for the first time, with the booking of Ryan Moore potentially telling.

2.55 Ascot – Progressive Mezcala and Extremely Zain fancied

Mezcala and Extremely Zain feature among a field of 17 for this valuable Moet & Chandon International Handicap at 2.55pm.

Extremely Zain arrives unbeaten in three starts, looking a Group horse in the making when readily defying a mark of 93 at York. The handicapper has reacted with an 8lb rise but this is likely to be his last start in handicaps, and he has options from stall eight under Tom Marquand, who replaces Cieren Fallon in the plate.

Jack Channon’s Mezcala took the Spring Mile earlier in the season and showed a good turn of foot to claim the Buckingham Palace Stakes on his last start. He makes obvious appeal from stall 13 with George Bass in the saddle.

Completely Random was only just denied in the Wokingham over six furlongs here last time and he looks the type to improve for this extra furlong with Ryan Moore a notable booking.

Back In Black and Aalto complete a long shortlist, with the latter effectively 3lb well in after Bunbury Cup victory the last day. The same can be said for Amazing Journey, who steps up in trip after taking top honours in Class 3 handicap company at Ascot when last seen.

2.20 Ascot – Touleen a hot favourite for the Owen Burrows team

An excellent field has assembled for this Group 3 Valiant Stakes, where all eyes will be on Touleen as she drops in class.

Owen Burrows’ three-year-old suffered no luck in running when a fast-finishing runner-up in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and takes on her elders for the first time with William Buick replacing Saffie Osborne. She’s 7lb clear on official ratings and ought to prove hard to beat if granted a clear passage.

Skydance was last seen beating subsequent Oaks heroine Thundering On in a maiden at Leopardstown and this classy filly remains capable of better with the layoff the only slight concern.

Kon Tiki produced a career best when fourth behind Blue Bolt in a strong running of the Duke Of Cambridge at the Royal meeting and she must be respected in this grade.

Sukanya and Esna rate each-way players.

Best of the rest

Ascot also plays host to the Group 3 Princess Margaret Japan Cup Stakes at 1.45pm, with Dark Issue and Alta Regina towards the head of the betting for a classy renewal of this fillies’ contest. Moonrise was unlucky not to get her head in front in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and is also worthy of consideration for the Oisin Murphy and Andrew Balding team.

Blue RC, Urban Lion and Crown Board all line up for the 4.45pm Betfred Handicap, with Asmen Warrior also holding claims for the James Owen team.

Elsewhere, Chester hosts action with Sea Idol the pick of six runners assembled for the IRE Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Maiden Stakes (3.10pm). The feature on the card is the 3.48pm Wilson Family Handicap, with the Wathnan-owned Postmodern fancied to go close for the Hamad Al Jehani.

At Lingfield, Charlie Appleby fields the Godolphin-owned Catching Dreams in the RJB Agri EBF Novice Stakes (7.00pm). This Showcasing colt could go well on debut for a stable on song.