Wasted trip as Martin wins twice without boxing

After the disappointment of Matt Jennings' withdrawal from this season's ABA title trail, the misery for the Amalgamated gym was compounded by a costly and wasted journey to the UK for the west country finals of the National Schoolboy championships. Tom Martin had been scheduled to face Chris Maguire from the Plymouth-based Pilgrims ABC in the under-15 seven-and-a-half-stone (48kg) final in Bristol and was well prepared for the task needed of him.

But the Devon teenager hit the scales almost a kilo (2 lbs) over the weight limit - too much for the officials to let him skip and sweat off the excess poundage in the two hours that the weighing machine was operational at the Riverside Leisure Centre.

So Martin picked up the title without throwing a punch in anger.

And he also collected the northern division title as his opponent pulled out before the bout.

Maguire was not alone in his dietary problems; another entrant from the same Pilgrims gym was also too heavy at the weigh-in.

'I'm really disappointed at what happened as I had been geared up for this bout and was really looking forward to it,' said Martin.

Those sentiments were echoed by his coach, Graham Guilbert, who shared the frustration of his young charge.

'The money we have wasted this weekend - more than £100 on rail fares alone without taking into account the cost of the air travel - is criminal,' he said.

'And with no expenses paid for travelling coaches and boxers, that makes it even worse.

'Several members of Tom's family travelled across to support him and they are equally disappointed.

'Hopefully, Tom will be in action when the quarter-finals are held at the same venue in two weeks' time.

'Lightning should not strike a second time.'

Jennings could miss out this season on the chance of Paddy Smyth - his intended opponent in the opening round of the ABA championships.

The latter stages of the competition will dominate the March boxing calendar; then the west country-based boxer has to return to Ireland for duty with the national squad - Smyth has boxed five times at international level.