Harsh decision for Kingfisher boxer

STEVE Middleton of Kingfisher ABC met D Porter of Colchester ABC in the Eastern Counties Golden Gloves final in Cambridge.

The first round saw Middleton using his counter-punching style to good effect, moving well, delivering good clean shots that looked to be scoring points off his less mobile opponent. In the second round Porter upped his workrate. The Colchester boxer scored with good combinations while Middleton continued to use his ring craft and counter-punched. With the bout evenly balanced going into the third round. Middleton's corner told him to stand his ground and put pressure on Porter which he did with great effect.

Although not pressing home his attacks Middleton still dominated the round and at the final bell looked to have scored enough to move to the next round. But the judges did not see it that way and the neutral Cambridgeshire crowd showed their disappointment by booing as the bout was awarded to Porter.

Cain Brunning of Kingfisher ABC met Jack Healey the Essex champion in the NACYP Eastern Counties finals in Billericay.

Healey had a game plan to stop Brunning's skilful counter-punching south- paw style. This involved Healey rushing in behind a quick combination of punches and then holding on, and the referee separated the two boxers throughout the bout and warned Healey for holding.

Despite this Bunning scored well and in the second round caught Healey with a perfectly-timed uppercut to the head. The referee stop the bout to inspect Healey's nose but judged him fit enough to box on.

In the third round, after several more warnings, Healey was disqualified for holding and the bout was awarded to Brunning.

Richard Burton, in his debut bout for Kingfisher ABC, met George Davies of Chalvedon ABC in Romford.

Although Burton at times looked the better boxer, Davis used his superior strength to great effect and earned a unanimous points win.