JOE Cordina had no intention of fighting when he first entered a boxing gym as a teenager, all he was interested in was using the sport as a way of keeping fit.

Fast forward eight years and the St Joseph’s star is getting ready to represent his country at the greatest show on earth in Rio.

The 24-year-old lightweight begins his quest for Olympic Games glory tomorrow when he faces Charly Suarez of the Philippines.

Cordina is bidding to become only the third Welsh boxer to win an Olympic medal after Ralph Evans (bronze, Munich 1972) and his St Joes stablemate Fred Evans (silver, London 2012).

And the Cardiff-born ace, a European champion and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, is desperate to eclipse both those men and go one better in Brazil.

“It would kill me if I didn’t come back with a medal,” he said. “The gold medal is what I’m there for. I don’t wake up and think about silver or bronze. When I wake up it’s all about gold, gold, gold.

“I’m going to do everything I can to win that gold and put those eight years I’ve been boxing into one tournament.

“It’s a great feeling knowing I’m going to put everything on the line and take that gold medal.

“I am one of the favourites but I’m 12/1 to win the gold medal and there are a couple of people above me, but I don’t want to look at that too much as it’s just what the bookies think.

“I’m European champion and number seven in the world so the other boxers are going to be looking at me as someone they don’t want to draw because on my day I’ll beat anyone.

“For me, it’s about getting in there, concentrating on what I need to do and being the best I can.”

He added: “It’s all been about the Olympic Games since I started boxing.

“I got to the Commonwealth Games and ticked that off the list, now it’s the Olympics.

“It has come around quickly and it’s an amazing feeling knowing that I’m going to be in the Olympic Games.

“There’s about 65 million people in this country and I’m one of 366 athletes in Team GB, so it’s a good feeling knowing I’m part of a select group.”

Cordina was more into rugby and football when he was younger, playing both sports to a fairly decent level. And, as he admits, it took him a while to catch the boxing bug.

“I was 16 when I started boxing,” he said. “Rugby was probably my main sport and I played for Cardiff schools, Cardiff districts, Cardiff Blues and East Wales. I played football to a good standard as well and I was a bit of an all-rounder.

“I just started boxing to keep fit and I didn’t want to fight.

“Although I enjoyed it when I was there and felt like I’d achieved something when I left, every time I was on my way to the gym for sparring I was dreading it.

“But you get used to it, you start learning things and get better, and then you want to get in there to practice.

“I picked things up quite quickly and for the last eight years I’ve dedicated my life to it.”

Cordina is playing it cool with regards to his plans for after the Olympics, he just wants to enjoy the Rio experience first and then see what is next on the horizon.

“A lot of people are expecting me to turn pro and that can easily distract me, so I try not to think about it,” he said.

“I’ve got a job to do and that’s winning a gold medal at the Olympics.”