Boxing star Orie reveals his function for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
Delicious Orie was a breakout star of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games but retired not long after going pro.
Delicious Orie won boxing gold for Team England in the men’s Over 92kg category at Birmingham 2022 before representing Team GB at the Paris 2024 Olympics(Image: 2022 Getty Images)
Four years on from his breakthrough Commonwealth Games gold medal, boxer Delicious Orie is hoping to enjoy another electric tournament, this time as a spectator.
After that success, the 28-year-old went on to box at the 2024 Paris Olympics Games, before turning professional in early 2025. But after a victory against Milos Veletic in his first pro bout, the Wolverhampton native announced a shock retirement, saying he hoped to find fulfilment in the corporate world.
He said: “I still box. I am involved in a lot of coaching for the younger generation and do fitness classes regularly. I think boxing is a great sport, and it’s taught me a lot about life. It’s a fantastic tool, particularly for younger generations. For me, it was more the competition side.
“What I get a lot of from boxing still is fitness and discipline. I just didn’t want to make a career out of it. That was all.”
Despite his retirement, the superheavyweight can reminisce on his glorious run to Commonwealth gold in Birmingham, culminating in his final with Sagar Ahlawat. He was invited to participate in the King’s Baton Relay in the build-up to this summer’s Games in Glasgow and will return to the city of his Commonwealth triumph for a SportsAid Live event on May 28.
Team England’s official automotive partner Geely are playing a central role in England’s leg of the King’s Baton Relay, which takes place from May 26-31. Orie said: “That Commonwealth Games was probably the best tournament of my boxing career. It’s weird because it feels like I’ll be doing it all over again, but I’m not really.
“It wasn’t just a home Games. For me, it was like my city games as it was so close to where I grew up. It was half an hour down the road to where I boxed. It meant a lot to be able to show my friends, family, and people that I got to know over the years in Birmingham what I do and to bring back the gold medal.
“That was the first competition for me that really got my name out there, particularly because it was local as well.”
England’s boxing hopefuls will head to Glasgow hoping to emulate the success and grace of Orie, who will make sure he is there to cheer them on. He said: “It’s only in Glasgow, so it will never be a problem to get down. I’ll be watching as part of the audience because it’s an incredible event to go to.”
Team England are Ready to Win at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Keep up to date on https://teamengland.org/.
