Dad's old boxing gloves propel Canadian to medal glory

Thomas Blumenfeld's interest in boxing was piqued after he found his dad's old gloves as a kid.

Thomas Blumenfeld during his men's 64kg semifinal against Ghana's Jessie Lartey.

A chance finding as a curious boy of a battered pair of his father's old boxing gloves piqued Thomas Blumenfeld's interest in the sport.

Fast forward and the Canadian defeated Ghana's Jessie Lartey in their light-welterweight semifinal clash on Friday at the Commonwealth Games on Australia's Gold Coast.

It guarantees Blumenfeld, now 20, at least a silver medal and the prospect of gold when he faces Namibia's Jonas Jonas in Saturday's final.

Reflecting on how he began the long journey to a Commonwealth medal, Blumenfeld said: “My dad had always talked about how he used to be a boxer and loved the sport.

“When I was eight years old I was going around the house and I found a pair of gloves.

“I said to him, 'I want to box.'”

Blumenfeld, who has lived in several places, including New York, but opted to represent Canada, said he had always been desperate to emulate his father, Bob, in whatever he did.

“I didn't really think about boxing, I wanted to think more about following in my dad's footsteps.

“It could have been anything, it could have been playing ping-pong or tennis, and I would have been like, 'I want do that.'

“He was the inspiration for my sport, my dad.”

Blumenfeld's father, whose amateur boxing career ended prematurely because of a broken hand, is not in Australia and is instead back home watching on television.

“Me and my dad always talk and he gives me advice. He's my number one supporter,” he said.