IT MAY not have been as glamorous a setting as Madison Square Garden, or even the Manchester Evening News Arena, but Eastburn's Boxing Dinner, held last Friday, certainly packed a punch.

The event, which took place at the Rendezvous Hotel in Skipton, saw eight bouts take place as well as an exhibition of kick-boxing during an interval.

And it was a successful night for Eastburn Gym's boxing trainer Paul Doust.

Doust would have had four wins from four with his boxers had Simon Wheather's 'victory' not been ruled a no-contest due to a breach of boxing regulations.

Wheather forced his opponent to retire at the start of the third round, normally signalling a win for the man left standing. But as Wheather's gloves were being removed, he was found to have forgotten to bandaged them -- breaching Amateur Boxing Association rules.

That technicality was a dampener on an evening that started with a real bang as Eastburn's Craig Burke (pictured left) stopped his opponent, L McCrave of Harrogate, in the first minute of the first round with a suspected broken rib.

Burke was awarded fighter of the night. Also on top form was Paul Hobson as he took on Joel Mabbott of Unity ABC who was stopped by his cornermen halfway through the first round.

Eastburn's Anthony Smith continued his winning run against Z Hussain of Unity with a unanimous judges' decision.