Olympics Rio 2016: Lawrence Okolie hungry for gold after ditching fast food

Okolie, who faces Poland's Igor Jakubowski in his opening heavyweight contest, is one of two British boxers to compete on the opening day of competition with Galal Yafai also facing Simplice Fotsala of Cameroon at light-flyweight.

Six years ago such a big stage was not even on the spectrum for Okolie, a self-confessed fast food junkie whose Olympic journey began the day in 2010 when his family doctor declared him clinically obese.

"I felt I needed to go for a normal check-up because I was worried about my weight, and when the doctor said I was actually obese it was a massive wake-up call.

"I weighed 120kg and was working behind the counter at McDonald's. I would try losing weight by eating salads but the problem was I would always be ordering double cheeseburgers on the side.

"But when I got promoted to the Great Britain elite team things got really serious. I got down to 81kg and instead of cheeseburgers I am now eating dedicated meals which help keep my weigh in check.

"I am looking forward to winning a medal and celebrating with a couple of weeks of having a real enjoyment of food again. If things go the way I hope in Rio then all the salads and weight loss programmes will have proven worthwhile."

Londoner Okolie was inspired on his journey after watching Anthony Joshua win gold at London 2012, and underlined his surge to prominence by clattering his way to gold at the European Olympic qualifier in Turkey in May.

But he will be up against it in his quest for gold with Thursday's draw pitting him in a potential second-round clash with Cuba's feared Erislandy Savon - coincidentally the man over whom Joshua scored a questionable decision in their first bout in London.

"Anthony has been a big help to me and if I am going to get compared to anybody I wouldn't mind it being the reigning Olympic champion," said Okolie. "I respect and look up to him so much and it is mad to be mentioned in the same breath.

"But any pressure I'm feeling is just from what I put on myself. Even this time last year I was aiming just to get on the British squad, and now I'm preparing for the Olympics. I have not had much time to give it all much thought."