Boxing: Smith will become moving target in plan to beat Pascal

About 10 days ago it looked unlikely that England's inexperienced but talented squad of boxers would reach many of today's finals. But five of the 12 have done so. Even allowing for patriotism and three or four dubious decisions, it is a tremendous achievement.

Perhaps the draw was favourable, but avoiding some of the tournament's favourite fighters still does not adequately explain how five made it this far and two others fell at the semi-final stage. Perhaps what has happened here during the seven days of boxing is that a group of boxers, many of whom were fortunate to be selected without having to have a box-off for their place, have simply fought beyond their means.

The pick of today's finals is likely to be at light middleweight, where Liverpool's Paul Smith has somehow dragged his weary body through four contests to meet the world-ranked Canadian Jean Pascal. Smith has been involved in three contests that he could have so easily lost and to have to meet possibly the tournament's most skilled boxer is a real indication of just how difficult it is to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal.

Pascal has delighted both the audiences at the Wythenshawe Forum and the MEN Arena, but there is a way for Smith to beat him and he knows that. Smith said: "Pascal looks good against the strong Africans and boxers that stand in front of him and I'm not going to do that. I think he has trouble with movement and that is what I do best,'' said Smith. It will be a pleasure to watch.

Today's finals will start with Darran Langley, a postman from Croydon, at light-flyweight in a bout against India's brilliant Ali Qamar. If Qamar wins he will become the first boxer from India to gain a gold medal in the boxing tournament. It will be difficult for Langley, but in the semi-finals his determination enabled him to overcome a three-point deficit and snatch victory by one point in the final second.

Repton's Darren Barker had a bye in the light welterweight semi-final but faces a difficult and daunting task today when he meets Uganda's Mohammed Kayongo. Barker has performed skillfully throughout the tournament but there is something about the Ugandan boxers, who are known as the Bombers back in Africa and were seen off at Kampala Airport by their President.

Steven Birch at middleweight has a better than even chance of beating the Australian Paul Miller. Birch has so far not had a difficult fight, but Miller has often been involved in brawls and that, in theory, could give the English boxer an advantage.

In the final bout of the day David Dolan, from Sunderland, will have to be both cautious and at the same time busy to defeat Canada's towering David Cadieux in the super-heavyweight final. Dolan is really a heavyweight, this is his first major tournament at super-heavy, and he will be conceding five or six inches in height and about three stone in weight to the likeable Canadian. However, Dolan is quick enough to win on points providing he does not get caught flush on the chin.

There will be a late medical check on the Welshman Jamie Arthur before he can get in the ring with Zambia's Dennis Zimba as he sustained a cut across his nose in Thursday's semi-final. Amateur boxing doctors are notoriously cautious and Arthur might find his final ends during a check-up rather than in the ring.