| Lewis Richardson | |
| Weight: | Middleweight, Light-heavyweight |
| Birth Date: | 1997 6, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Colchester, England[1] |
| Style: | Southpaw stance |
| Boxrec: | 890039 |
Lewis Richardson is an English boxer who as an amateur won a bronze medal in the 71 kg category at the 2024 Summer Olympics. He also won a silver medal at the 2022 European Championships and competed at the 2019 World Championships.
Born in Colchester, Richardson began boxing at a young age as a means to keep fit while playing football. After winning the 2012 National School Boy Championships he decided to focus on boxing.[1]
In 2018 Richardson was selected to box for Team GB. A few months after the selection he suffered three stress fractures in his back, leaving him out of action for most of the year. After recovering from the injury he won gold medals at the 2018 GB Championships and 2019 Olympic Test Event, securing him a reserve spot for the European Olympic Qualification Event. After teammate Sammy Lee was forced to withdraw due to injury, Richardson took his place. He won his first fight in March 2020, against Victor Yoka of France before the tournament was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When it resumed in 2021 Richardson lost to eventual Olympic silver medalist Oleksandr Khyzhniak.[2] [1]
He competed at the 2021 World Championships in Belgrade, losing in his first fight against Almir Memic of Serbia.[3]
While representing England at the 2022 European Championships, Richardson defeated GB teammate Sam Hickey of Scotland in the semi-finals,[4] before losing to Gabriel Dossen of Ireland in the finals, securing himself a silver medal.[5]
He won a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.[6]
Richardson qualified for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics by successfully navigating his way through the light-middleweight draw at the 2024 World Olympic Qualification Tournament 2 in Thailand.[7] [8] [9] On 7 June 2024, Richardson was officially announced among the Great Britain squad for the Olympics.[10] He was given a bye into the second round[11] where he defeated Vahid Abasov from Serbia by a 3:2 split decision.[12] [13] He overcame Zeyad Ishaish of Jordan in the quarter-finals on another 3:2 split decision.[14] [15] Richardson fought 2023 Pan American Games gold medalist Marco Verde from Mexico in the semi-finals and lost on a 3:2 split decision meaning he left the competition with a bronze medal.[16] [17]
Shortly after the Olympics, Richardson announced he was turning professional.[18] [19]
Richardson enrolled at Sheffield Hallam University in 2020 to study part-time for a master's degree in Sport Business Management.[20]