Boxing: Potter exits commonwealth champs

New Zealand middleweight Justin Potter was beaten in the first round of the Commonwealth Boxing Championships in Glasgow this morning (NZ time), out-pointed by classy Englishman John Degale.

After a fairly even first round, Degale stepped up the pace in the second to secure a four-point lead.

The third stanza saw Potter attempting to get back into the fight before his opponent pressed home the advantage to take the bout by a 10-point margin.

Potter may have paid the price of paying too much respect to Degale, won last year's Commonwealth Youth Games title.

Tomorrow big-hitting New Zealand heavyweight Lance Bryant was to fight taller Irishman Cahill McMonagle.

Meanwhile, the interruptions to team preparation continue.

Their arrival from Auckland was disrupted by a strike at Heathrow Airport which meant the New Zealanders arrived in Glasgow with five bags of gear missing.

While four bags had arrived with the squad, Bryant was still having to borrow clothes and personal items while awaiting his luggage.

- NZPA