Heffron robbed of glory in final

HAPPIER times in the Heffron camp. Left to right, coach Darren McCarrick, Ronnie Heffron, dad Tommy Heffron, Mark Heffron and coach Ben Lancaster.

Boxing

LOCAL boxer Mark Heffron was the victim of a miscarriage of justice when he was beaten in the final of the junior ABA Championship.

The 17-year-old from Horsedge Street was stunned when Cain Brunning, of Kingfisher Boxing Club, was adjudged the winner of the 64kg class.

After the five judges all gave Mark victory by margins of 15-7, 15-7, 15-8, 13-6 and 13-5, there has astonishment when the arm of Brunning was raised.

Mark’s coach Ben Lancaster said: “It was unbelievable. Mark beat up Brunning and it wasn’t even a close fight.

“I don’t think Brunning threw a punch in the last round when it was so one sided that I thought the referee might stop the bout.”

Even one of the judges posted a notice on the internet saying he couldn’t believe the result had been allowed to stand.

The problem appears to surround the computer scoring in which three of the five judges must press a button within one second of a punch being thrown to record a point being scored.

“There are two computer print-outs - one of the individual judges and the second the overall score.

“I don’t know whether the judges didn’t register the punches thrown quickly enough or whether there was an error with the computer.

“But the worst thing is that there is no appeal and the result cannot be overturned.”

Mark, ironically, scored a resounding 11-1 victory against Brunning only a couple of months ago in the final of the National Association of Boys Club Championships.

Lancaster believes a number of letters of complaint are to be sent to the ABA, but he does not hold out much hope of the result being overturned.

Kevin Williams, North West regional secretary of the ABA, admitted that had he been Heffron’s coach he would have complained about the result.

He said: “The scoring system is the one used in the Olympic Games and was introduced to make things more transparent and reduce the risk of results being fixed.

“The problem appears to be that the judges have not voted quickly enough so the punches have not been registered.

“I must add that such things are rare, but clearly something has gone wrong in this instance.”

One of the judges has even posted a message on the internet saying: “I am sure that all five of us clearly went for Heffron.

“I am also sure the three adjudicators and the national coach made Heffron the winner by a wide margin.

“All nine officials at ringside thought Heffron had won, but somehow the computer gave it to Brunning.

“The system needs evaluating and if we can’t get it right, we should get rid of it.

“All officials are sick of being abused for something that is not of our making.

“Let’s get back to proper judging, but with full transparency which must be the only way forward.

“I am from the South, but I am truly devastated for Mark Heffron.”

Mark, who had been aiming to complete a family double as older brother Ronnie recently won a senior ABA title, has at least had something to cheer.

He has been selected to box for England in the home internationals at Everton Park, Liverpool, later this month.