Locals make up for London boy's no-show

GILMERTON amateur boxing club boss Rab Young was furious after English youth lightweight champion John Dignam failed to show up for his top-of-the bill clash with British junior lightweight champion Conor McCallum at Loanhead Miners' Club.

The Londoner and his coach also failed to answer any phone calls aimed at seeking an explanation for their absence.

Young said: "I had loads of fans at ringside who bought tickets because they were eager to see Conor go head to head with Dignam."

However, in view of the outstanding performances of several Gilmerton boxers on the amended bill, the Loanhead crowd soon forgot any disappointment.

Southhouse plumber James Nelson, making his debut at the age of 20, stole the show by storming back impressively against Newarthill's Peter White to stop the Lanarkshire boxer in 1 minute and 57 seconds of the second round after mounting ferocious counterattacks.

Nelson had been rocked briefly in the first round by the more experienced White.

Equally impressive for Gilmerton was gutsy lightweight David Louden, who came from behind to edge Coatbridge tough guy Willie Marshall 11-10.

Loanhead bantamweight Kevin Skey, also from the Gilmerton club, kept the home crowd happy by scoring with fast, snappy left jabs to beat Dunfermline's Steven McArthur 13-9.

Topping the bill was Leith Victoria' counterpuncher Sandy Forsyth, who lost a battle of classy left jabs with Motherwell Forgewood's ex-Scottish champion, Lee Gallagher, who won by 14-10 in four exciting rounds.

• GLENROTHES-BASED unbeaten super-middleweight Steve McGuire – fighting temporarily at light-heavyweight – kept himself on song for a British title clash with Irishman Brian Magee at Manchester in December by beating Zimbabwean Hastings Rasani 79-74 at Glasgow's St Andrew's Sporting club last night.

1998 Commonwealth Games welterweight bronze medal winner, Colin McNeil, has applied to become an amateur boxing coach with his former club, Fauldhouse.