By Tom Harle

Lewis Richardson revealed plans to turn professional and fight for world titles on the back of his bronze medal at the Olympics.

The 27-year-old fought through a stormy boxing competition in Paris to reach the podium in the welterweight division, ensuring Team GB have won a medal in the sport at the last seven Olympics and at each Games since the advent of National Lottery funding.

With uncertainty around the sport’s inclusion at LA 2028, Richardson has already made his mind up when it comes to his immediate future.

“I’m a little bit sad to be leaving because GB Boxing and the World Class Programme have provided me with so much and supported me so much,” said the Essex fighter.

“I’m very grateful for everything they have done, the opportunities and the way I’ve embraced it, especially in the last year.”

Richardson would be the latest in a long line of talent who have emerged from GB Boxing’s ‘Lions’ Den’ and into the professional ranks.

All six British boxers who won Olympic medals in Tokyo subsequently went pro.

“I just want to be myself and make sure I keep to my principles,” said Richardson. “I’m respectful, I’m a respectful person. I want to keep that respect on my name and I’m a hard worker.

“We’ve seen the success that Olympic boxing medallists have had and what they’ve achieved as professional fighters.

“I think it’s a testament to the programme how it’s been used as a platform to springboard off and turn professional. The path will be clear, I’ll be aiming for world titles because I believe I’m one of the best amateurs in the world and I can translate that into being one of the best professionals in the world.”

Just after joining the GB Boxing programme in 2018, Richardson was diagnosed with three stress fractures in his back.

He narrowly missed out on Tokyo and even had to drop down a division after his natural weight category was removed from the Games.

“I believe all the injuries and setbacks, the uncontrollable factors that have changed the goalposts, has made me a stronger person mentally and physically.

“The experience I’ve gained from situations and experiences have allowed me to perform on the biggest stage in the world and do it very well.”

Richardson is now officially a ‘ChangeMaker’, one of more than 100 Olympic heroes taking part in an initiative that aims to give back to the communities that have supported them.

The ChangeMaker initiative is a partnership between The National Lottery’s operator, Allwyn, Team GB, ParalympicsGB and UK Sport designed to ensure sustained social impact that delivers long term for communities.

“I think boxing is extremely powerful,” said Richardson. “You look at the background of boxers in general, it’s largely from more deprived areas, which is no different to where I come from and humble beginnings.

“We would need a lot of time for me to explain all of the experiences I’ve had and the memories I’ve made through boxing that all started from me going to the boxing gym on my local estate in Colchester.

“It’s amazing what sport can do.”

The ChangeMaker initiative is a partnership between The National Lottery’s operator, Allwyn, Team GB, ParalympicsGB and UK Sport to support Great Britain’s athletes to make a positive difference to social impact projects they are passionate about.