The New Nation - Internet Edition

BBC Online

James DeGale won Great Britain's 19th gold at the Beijing Games with a 16-14 win over Cuba's Emilio Correa in a bad-tempered middleweight final.

DeGale had a superb start and was 6-1 ahead after the opening round when Correa was penalised two points for biting his opponent's shoulder.

The 22-year-old was 10-4 up at halfway but as the bout got increasingly scrappy, Correa clawed his way back.

The lead was reduced to two in the final tense moments but DeGale hung on.

DeGale's medal was Team GB's third in boxing - after bronzes for super-heavyweight David Price and light-heavyweight Tony Jeffries - meaning they exceeded UK Sport's target of two medals of any colour.

DeGale, who was ranked as one of the outsiders for gold in Beijing, sank to his knees at the end of the bout before parading around the ring with the Union Flag draped over his shoulders.