Experience of Austin overcomes Thirlwall's challenge

When a young boxer of 20, with just four international bouts on his record meets a Cuban former world champion and veteran of 210 fights, the outcome is generally easy to predict and unpleasant to watch but last night the scenario so nearly had an alternative ending.

Matthew Thirlwall, from the Fisher club in south London, conceded over 150 bouts in experience to Damian Austin but chased the unusually cautious Cuban in each of the four rounds at the World Amateur Championships in Belfast. This meant that Thirlwall was exposed to accurate counter punches and when it was over he lost 13-6. "He was just too clever and was never in one place long enough," admitted Thirlwall. "Each time I set my feet and tried to work away at his body he was gone. I didn't want to start rushing in but I had to in the end." Before the fight several members of the high-profile Cuban media made inquires about Thirlwall and by the time the first round started a large delegation of Cuban officials had gathered at ringside. Their noise compensated for the shouts of encouragement from a group of travelling fans cheering him on.

Austin, 27, was trailing after one round but as he backed effortlessly from rope to rope it was clear that 10 years of international experience, including a world junior title in 1992 and the senior version the following year, is the most important element in the amateur sport. Thirlwall won the first and drew the last on the computer scoring system but in the third, which started with him trailing by just one point, he was repeatedly caught as he tried to overcome the Cuban's skill by pressing forward. It was a risk, it never worked and when round three ended he was down by seven points and the fight was lost.

Elsewhere in the two rings on day three of the championship, England's Steven Bell fought without conviction and was stopped at the end of the third round when Turkey's triple European featherweight champion, Ramazan Paliani proved so overwhelming that amateur boxing's so-called 'mercy' rule ended the fight. Bell was losing by 15 points and accepted defeat with a simple shrug.

Liverpool's Stephen Burke moved easily past the inexperienced Chinese lightweight Li Liang in a bout with few memorable moments. Burke rescued the fight from oblivion with a nice quote about his opponent. He said: "He was so awkward and physically strong that I hope I've not lost my timing."