Six British boxers earned medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and Evans says it has already had a "transformative" impact on the area where he is an MP.

He now believes next summer's Commonwealth Games can have a similar impact.

"The boxers were among Team GB’s (Britain) best performers and caught the public’s imagination as they delivered some of the standout moments of the Games," he wrote in a guest foreword of GB Boxing's 2020-2021 annual review, titled "Making History". 

"The big challenge now is to capitalise on this momentum in attracting new people into the sport and maintaining the profile of amateur boxing on television, in the news and on social media.

"The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next year will provide valuable exposure and is a fantastic chance to highlight not just the quality of the boxers but also their characters, personalities and backstories.  

"It will be a great opportunity to showcase the sport to a large audience, many of whom may not be traditional boxing fans."

Britain finished second in the boxing medal table in Tokyo, with Lauren Price - who is from South Wales, where Evans is an MP, and Galal Yafai, who hails from Birmingham, winning the country's two gold medals.

Boxing competition at Birmingham 2022 is due to take place at the NEC Arena. 

Birmingham 2022 is scheduled to get underway on July 28, closing on August 8.