Ricky Summers decides to turn pro

Ricky Summers today revealed he's going to turn pro after his dream of becoming a senior ABA national amateur champion ended at the weekend.

Due to box twice in less than 24 hours, Summers fell to a regional semi-final defeat to Aston ABC's Broderick Murphy in Lichfield on Saturday night.

Murphy went on to yesterday's Midlands finals in Bedworth but lost to another late qualifier, Impact ABC's Jamal Ledoux, at 81kg.

Summers and his camp from Lions ABC in Dudley were left to protest at what they insisted was a harsh decision against Murphy.

The 24-year-old was docked two points by the referee from a combination of holding and hitting on the break, leading to his unanimous points loss.

The ABA national semi-finalist, last year, also has a perforated eardrum, putting his England debut for his country's select team against Wales at the weekend in doubt.

But, whatever happens, Summers today vowed his turn over to the paid ranks is imminent.

He said: "I will be trying my chances in the pro ranks now, I need to sit down and weigh up what is best for me.

"There's not much left I can do now as an amateur and a lot of people I have boxed are doing well in the pro game, so it's time for me to move on.

"I would box at light heavyweight, I might even make super middleweight."

There was controversy at the area finals yesterday for Wodensborough ABC's Des Bowater and Far Cotton ABC's Sukjeevan Brar.

Bowater, like Summers, had been due to box his semi-final the previous evening but his opponent, Cleary's ABC fighter Sean Greenfield, pulled out with a hand injury.

But Bowater and Brar were both were disqualified from the 60kg decider the following day with 22 seconds left of the contest, for what the referee deemed to be 'persistent breaking of the rules.'

Brar had already picked up two public warnings while Bowater had none, to the vocal fury of his camp as the decision was made.

To add insult to injury, Bowater was winning on points, by 17-10.

The fighters that were both beaten in the regional semi-finals, Solihull ABC's Bradley Forrester and Queensberry ABC's Naz Rafiq, will now be reinstated and will box for a place in the national stages.

Priory Park ABC's Luke Paddock again came a cropper. as he was beaten in the ABA senior Midlands final for the second year in a row by Earl Shilton ABC's Sam Bowen at 63kg.

Paddock also the referee to contend with - he was docked two points and publicly warned for holding while Bowen, who charged in with his head as a feature of his attack, escaped punishment.

Bowen was declared the winner by a wide points margin, the victor by 23-8.

At 48kg, Wednesbury ABC's Dale Doody, as expected, walked over to Sunday's national pre-quarter finals with no opponent to box.