Wigan twins Will and Paddy Hewitt have come through the boxing ranks side-by-side and are now eagerly awaiting a first shot at the Commonwealth Games. The 24-year-old brothers will both represent Team England at this summer’s Games in Glasgow after rising through the amateur ranks, a journey which began when they first walked into Leigh Amateur Boxing Club at the age of eight.
Shared Journey to the Games
Now, more than 15 years later, Will and Paddy are preparing to compete at a maiden elite-level multi-sport Games, a moment they describe as the culmination of years of shared sacrifice, travel and training. “It’s massive,” said Paddy. “To do it on your own is one thing, but to do it with your twin brother, it’s class. We travel the world together, we’re always in hotel rooms together, wherever we go and box we’re always staying together. We live together, we do everything together.”
Paddy added: “I was lucky enough to experience Paris 2024 and train with Lewis Richardson [who won bronze], spending six weeks out there. That was unbelievable, seeing the Olympic Village and the setup. It’s moments like that that make you think you want the Olympic dream. The Commonwealth Games is on the way to that. Seeing all these elite athletes makes you want to perform.”
Similar Paths Through Boxing
The Wigan duo have followed remarkably similar paths through the sport, collecting national titles, European medals and international experience along the way. Both recently returned from the World Boxing Cup in China, where Paddy, who fights at 70kg, reached the quarter-finals while Will, who was in the 60kg category, went one step further and reached the last four. Will said: “We've trained together since we were about eight years old, gone through all the little shows, big shows, and to be going to the Commonwealth Games together is just a massive achievement.”
Their journey has been shaped by long-term dedication and the influence of their home club and coach Adrian Fleming, who has guided them since childhood. “He’s taught us everything we know about boxing,” said Paddy. “He’s forgotten more about boxing than we know. He’s had us since we were eight years old, carried us up and down the country.” Will added: “We started at Leigh ABC, and it was more just for fitness. Then we stuck at it, started training every day with Adrian, started having a few fights and just started winning, getting better and staying dedicated.”
Inspiration from Fellow Twins
The brothers revealed they have taken inspiration from fellow twins Pat and Luke McCormack, who competed at Gold Coast 2018, with the former winning 69kg gold while the latter claimed 64kg bronze. Now, Paddy and Will return as the next set of siblings aiming to make their mark on the international stage. “That was great to remember, getting up in the early hours watching them fight for their medals,” said Paddy. “It's funny how it's full circle now, and we're fighting at home Games for hopefully two gold medals.”
While both insist they won’t put too much pressure on themselves, their ambitions are clear. With years of shared experience behind them, they arrive in Glasgow believing they are ready to compete for medals, and to do it together. “We know how good we are,” added Will. “We know how good this team is. We always prepare to our best, and if we're at our best, we know what level we can do, and if we do that, we'll probably get some gold medals.”
