WORCESTER City Amateur Boxing Club light-welterweight Trent Smith narrowly missed out on reaching the national final of the Ambition Championships.

Boxing in Sunderland, he was up against the hard punching Danny Wright of the Boarshaw club in Rochdale.

Smith settled into an early rhythm, firing fast combinations to the head of his opponent. But Wright pursued Smith around the ring and had minor success with right hands and left hooks.

Smith stayed on the back-foot for most of the opening round with the aggressive Wright keen to stamp his authority on the fight.

After an even first, Smith went looking for Wright more during a fast-paced second round. The Worcester boxer out-punched his opponent two to one, but the Boarshaw boxer continued to pick up the points with his impressive work-rate.

Smith maintained the volume of punches in the last round and forced Wright to receive a public warning for not keeping his head up.

The one point deduction should have been the icing on the cake for Smith, but this was not to be.

The judges awarded the contest to Wright on a split decision, which was a bitter pill for Smith and his corner to take.

The Worcester fighter has pushed himself to the limit during training and fought with great skill and determination.

A bitterly disappointed Smith is now looking forward to the National Championships which start early next year.