Mhura's punching power KOs him for Championships

THE crashing right hand to the jaw which knocked Fundo Mhura's opponent Andrew McKelvie out last weekend in the Scottish championships prelims has ironically KO'd the Leith Victoria middleweight's chances of boxing in the semi-finals.

"It turns out that I hit McKelvie so hard that I've damaged the knuckles of my right hand and my doctor told me that I can't box at Dalkeith on Friday in my semi-final against Lochee's Andrew Drummond," Mhura explained.

"I was really looking forward to that because I fancied my chances strongly against Drummond – I've previously beaten Lochend boxer Kieran Finn's semi-final opponent Alex Montgomery from Motherwell and I think I could have beaten Keiran Finn as well to win the Scottish title but now I just have to watch from the sidelines.

Mhura, who was out of boxing for over a year due to his eyelashes rubbing on his cornea, added: "When will this run of bad luck end? First my eyes, now this!"

Leith Vics official Douglas Fraser had some good news, though. he said: "As an incentive for Fundo to get better I've told him I will match him on our annual summer show in May against whoever wins the 2008 Scottish middleweight title.''