Thomas, fighting in the 90+ kg division, dominated all three rounds of his semi‑final on Thursday, earning a 5‑0 verdict from the judges and setting up a Friday showdown with Russia’s David Surov, who is making his return to world‑level competition after Russia’s recent re‑entry into the sport.
The 27‑year‑old said the victory felt like “checking off a to‑do list”, adding that he had already secured a Commonwealth Games gold and now a European medal, with Olympic gold still the ultimate goal.
Thomas’s progress was part of a broader British success story in Sofia, where five GB boxers have guaranteed medals. In the women’s light‑middleweight category, Chantelle Reid rebounded from a first‑round deficit to defeat Serbia’s Milena Matovic 3‑2, earning a place in the gold‑medal bout against Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli.
Reid, a Paris Olympian, praised her coaching team for keeping her focused after the early setback and expressed confidence ahead of Friday’s final, saying a gold medal “would mean the world”.
The remaining British medalists confirmed for the championships are Dimeji Shittu (80 kg), Callum Makin (75 kg) and Abdul Burton (55 kg), each having secured a podium finish in their respective weight classes.
With the finals set for Friday, Britain’s boxing squad will be looking to add more golds to their haul, while Thomas’s upcoming bout against Surov will test whether the Londoner can translate his dominant semi‑final performance into a championship title.