HE may have lost his opening boxing bout at the Beijing Olympics yesterday, but Paul Fleming's family could not be more proud if he had won the gold medal.

Olympic debutant Fleming lost his featherweight (57kg) bout 13-9 to experienced Frenchman Khedafi Djelkhir despite winning the first and third periods of the four-round bout.

Paul’s parents Steve and Donna and sister Rhiannon saw the closing stages of the bout when rounds three and four were televised on delay on SBS last night.

But they had to huddle around their old television to see it after their new big-screen TV had trouble picking up the digital picture.

By the time the edited replay ran, the Flemings already knew the result but that could not diminish their pride at seeing their son realise his sporting dream.

"We were so excited just sitting there watching it," Fleming’s mother Donna said.

"We were just glued to the television. Him going to the Olympics is like winning the lotto, even better.

"This is something he’s got forever now, he’s an Olympian.

"He knows he can achieve anything."

Donna said Fleming, 20, would have been disappointed with his result but the family felt nothing but pride.

Donna said she and Steve had not yet heard from their son and were not expecting to until he was ready to talk about the bout.

The heavily tattooed Fleming may not have talked to them but he carries a permanent reminder of his family with him, Rhiannon’s name is tattooed on his arm.

"My family don’t have much money to get over here and my little sister was born with brain damage so she can’t fly," Fleming said after the fight.

"Hopefully I did my family proud."

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