Le Poullain 'heartbroken' after semi-final exit to teen sensation Akbar at ABA Championships

BILLY LE POULLAIN admits he was left 'heartbroken' after having his ABA championship run halted at the semi-final stage by the brilliant teenager Harris Akbar.

The withdrawal of Cyrus Patterson before the quarter-finals in Rotherham on Friday had seen 21-year-old Amalgamated Club star Le Poullain promoted to No. 1 seed and receive a bye into Saturday's semis.

But that was to be as far as he would get after running into 18-year-old sensation Akbar, who beat him unanimously on points at the Magma Centre, before going on to win the title by beating Joe Laws yesterday.

'It is a bitter pill to swallow and I am heartbroken by the loss, but I just didn't do enough at crucial stages – it could have gone either way but I can't complain that I lost out,' said Le Poullain.

• Full story in Monday's Guernsey Press.