Dan Pitt, 20, bowed out of the Commonwealth Games last night (29 July) following a split decision loss in the quarter finals.

The Brecon boxer lost on the judges scorecards 4-1, after a scrappy affair with Australia’s Paul Trainor.

A closely fought first round had Dan behind on the scorecards, and left with a bloodied nose following big blows dealt by the Aussie.

Ahead on the scorecards after round one, Pitt’s opponent, Trainor, turned the bout into a scrappy game, clinching Dan and running the clock down whenever he could. The Australian was deducted a point in the second round but the judges still had him leading after two rounds.

The TNT Sports commentators praised Pitt’s boxing style despite being down on the scorecards. In a competitive last round, Dan sadly didn’t do enough to sway the scorecards in his favour and bowed out via a 4-1 split decision.

The two boxers showed great respect and appreciation for each other after the match, shaking hands and Trainor even holding up the ropes for Pitt to exit the ring.

Dan showed tremendous class in his post-fight interview. Proving himself to be a credit to Brecon and Wales, he spoke to TNT Sports just after the bout. He said: “I’m very disappointed with the result. I thought I had a good shot at having a medal there but in all fairness to my opponent, he’s very tall and awkward, and he’s just outboxed me on the day so I can’t complain. Congratulations to Paul.

“At the end of the day this is boxing. We need to show respect for each other. Although we are trying to take each other’s heads off, I have the upmost respect for my opponent and it didn’t go my way, so I’m a bit gutted, but I’m happy with the performance I have put on.

“I won’t be taking away a medal, but I’ve really enjoyed this experience. It’s been amazing. Thank you to everyone who has watched, and everyone who has supported me.”

The Brecon man won his first two preliminary bouts against pro boxers Dee Ioapo from Samoa in the Round of 32, and Papa New Guinea’s Kua Gunua Mua in the round of 16. His journey ends just won win short of achieving a medal at these games but the future looks bright for young Dan.