'Dirty-trick' tactics put crowd into a rage

ANGRY boxing fans raged against the non-appearance of local favourite Matt Jennings as a Guernsey team edged out a London Select squad 5-4 at the St Pierre Park Hotel on Friday night. Even the compere, Liam McKenna, was furious, taking it upon himself to openly question what was going on as Jennings' opponent was in the building, but could not step into the ring and box as his medical card had strangely gone missing.

During the interval McKenna, the former island badminton star and occasional boxer, openly challenged the Southampton coach who had lined up his cruiserweight Michael Matthewsian for the top-of-the-bill bout with Jennings, to explain why his boxer would not be stepping into the ring.

Moments later, a clearly embarrassed Phil Pattimore, the official in charge, took the microphone to announce that there was nothing he could do and blamed the bout cancellation on 'an administrative error'.

'The English coach has refused to say anything,' he added.

While most of the 236 diners who had paid £45 a ticket to see 10 bouts including Jennings to top off their evening, took the explanation calmly, others not so.

Some members swore and challenged Pattimore's explanation in a brief episode which did nothing for the Guernsey Dinner Boxing Club's reputation for gentlemanly behaviour.

Jennings, 29, was as bemused as anybody and was left wondering whether all the hard training had been worth it.

'Not impressed at all,' was his verdict.

'I can't understand it because if he knew my history, why would the coach bring him over and then pull him out.

'I saw the lad's card myself and he'd won his last 12 bouts straight.

'How it went missing is anybody's guess. But Graham has his suspicions.'

Jennings was warming up when he heard he was not fighting after all and has now not boxed locally since March.

The shortage of bouts and the last-minute cancellations is getting to him.

'It's terrible. I'm just gutted to be honest - very frustrating.'

The fighter revealed he has been putting in extra runs in preparation for the first show of 2007 and only allows himself one evening off a week from training.

'Sometimes I question whether it's worth it.'

His coach was still angry the following morning.

'It was a dirty trick,' he said.

'He kept trying to jib out.

'But the bout had been made for Jennings and he had agreed it.

'We didn't see Matt's opponent all night except for the parade at the start when he and Matt shook hands. Then he went back to his room.'