By Jonny Stapleton

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PADDY BARNES  is as adept at delivering a punch line as he is a punch, but is deadly serious about winning gold in London 2012 despite claiming he would be happy just to score a single point in today’s Olympic semi final.
The Belfast fighter literally digs for silver in today’s ExCel Arena lunch time session and battles old Chinese foe Shiming Zou for a place in the flyweight Olympic final.

The diminutive dynamo lost at this stage to the three time world champion and reigning Olympic champion in Beijing, suffering a 15-0 reverse that frustrated him so much he let fly with a by now infamous verbal volley after the clash.

Barnes gets is his chance at revenge and redemption today, but claimed he would happy to improve on last times display by just scoring a single shot!

“He is obviously a talented boxer, he’s a three-time world champion and an Olympic Champion and he has beaten me 15-0. I am just looking to score one point against him. You can tell him that too,” the Holy Family pug said.

Irish fans don’t need to worry, Barnes desire to unearth Gold is as strong as ever. The first ever Irish boxing double Olympic medallist is determined to change the colour of his 2012 medal and is gunning for the brilliant named Shiming Zou.

“I have the medal in the bag I just need to change the colour of it now. I haven’t won anything yet. I am only into the semi finals. I am not going to stop and be happy because I want the gold medal I’ll be happy.”

so we meet again-Barnes and Zou in the Olympic Village this week

Barnes might not be content with a second Olympic Bronze but the historic nature of his victory over tricky Indian Devendro Singh Laishram wasn’t lost on him.
“That’s it, record-breaker. It was tough fight. He was strong and very very dangerous. I thought I kept my cool, kept a tight defence and got my shots off and came out the winner. I sparred him before in Dublin and he was very fast and tough, he actually hit hard and I had to be really cautious. It was a bit sloppy at times because I knew what was at stake.”