IN his first major interview since he became Commonwealth Games lightweight gold medallist Charlie Flynn is facing the biggest decision of his fledgling boxing career.

After vanquishing Northern Ireland's Joe Fitzpatrick a fortnight ago and listening proudly to Flower of Scotland as the gold medal was placed around his neck, the Motherwell boxer admits he is in a dilemma over whether to stay amateur and retrain his sights on the Rio Olympics in 2016, or turn professional.

Already the ebullient Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has been making overtures to try to tempt the young boxer into pugilism's paid ranks. Certainly, Flynn's sweet boxing from an orthodox stance at range, coupled with his ability to unleash vicious hooks close up, testify to a style that is tailor-made for the professional game.

However, the 20-year-old also admits that the battle to combine his day job with the Royal Mail and train diligently for Glasgow 2014, where he faced a string of full-time funded amateur opponents, became increasingly tough.

And, with his exalted status and an increasingly high profile which has already seen him become something of a cult hero, Flynn knows that his bargaining position, should he elect to turn professional, is as strong as it's likely to be.

"Obviously I have a big decision to make. I'd love to stay in the amateurs, continue to fight for Scotland and build towards the next Olympics in Rio in 2016," he said. "But a lot can happen in two years and I am 20 now. Having won gold at the Commy Games in Glasgow, I'm in a really strong position when it comes to turning professional.

"So this coming week I will be sitting down with Boxing Scotland to see what is what with regard to going forward in terms of funding and that will play a big part in my decision.

"Without the support of sportscotland and my employers at the Royal Mail, I don't know how I would have made the Commonwealth Games, as I had no funding.

"I worked part-time and trained the rest of the time and everybody I fought was full-time. That's tough.

"The last two years on the road to Glasgow have been fantastic but now I need to look forward and make sure that I do the right thing for my future and you can't rush that type of thing.

"I know it is the biggest decision of my boxing career so far and right now I can honestly say it is a 50/50 call."

Full of youthful brio, yet blessed with a keen underlying intelligence, Flynn rightly believes he has all the tools to be a success if he does turn professional.

His base at the Glasgow Phoenix Gym, where he is trained by the tactically astute Peter Harrison, also offers the perfect stepping stone into the professional ranks.

Flynn said: "I know I have the capabilities to make it in the pros. During my fights in the Commonwealth Games I was barely breathing [hard] at the end of three rounds and could easily have gone six rounds.

"In sparring I regularly do 10 rounds with pros, so I know that if I do turn professional I am ready for it, 100%.

"I also think that my style is perfect for the pros, in that I can adapt and can box either on the front foot or the back foot.

"If I do turn professional then I couldn't have a better trainer than Peter Harrison, down at the Phoenix Gym, in Dalmarnock. Obviously, he coached Scott Harrison from the amateurs all the way to the WBO featherweight title.

"Right now we have Willie Limond in our gym and Peter has just coached him to the British title. So it's just a fantastic gym to work out of, with the number of good pros we have in there, including Scott Harrison."

When it comes to his golden moment, and the adoration he has received in its aftermath, the modest young boxer says he is still living the dream.

"It was just an unbelievable experience. To be standing there with the Commonwealth Games gold medal around my neck is something I will never forget," Flynn said. "Every time I walked in the ring, and especially for the final against Joe Fitzpatrick, it was like a thunderstorm the way the crowd reacted to me.

"The final itself was tough, Fitzpatrick was an awkward boy and sometimes to beat awkwardness you need to be a bit awkward back. By the time I got through it with all these fights under my belt I was knackered but it was some feeling.

"Since the Games people keep stopping me in the street and that's just unreal."

Demonstrating an admirable humility, Flynn added: "But you know I wouldn't have made it without my dad and my mum.

"My dad sacrificed so much and trained me for two hours before work every day and my mum did all my washing and did my diet and I am just so grateful to them."