Dale Doody wins an ABA Novice title

Wednesbury ABC's Dale Doody was crowned a light flyweight champion in the ABA Novice championships over the weekend – without throwing a punch.

Doody took the title in Class B – boxers who have had 20 bouts or under - at 48kg after opponent Kane Smart, from Down End ABC in Bristol, pulled out of their fight on Saturday citing illness.

The 18-year-old was, at least, made aware of the news before making the long trip with trainer Anthony Tobin to the South Coast, namely the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth.

It's the second time Smart has suffered disappointment in an amateur final in successive months, after he retired during the last hurdle of the Clubs for Young People championships.

It leaves Doody to pick up the title after boxing just once in the competition through a succession of 'walk overs' – no opponent to box – beating Gary Reeve 9-4 on points in the semi-finals last Sunday.