Barking featherweight Marc P. Callaghan was an angry young man following his first professional defeat on Tuesday evening.

Callaghan, who has quickly earned a reputation as one of the finest young boxers in Barry Hearn's Matchroom stable, was fighting Simon Chambers at London's Hilton Hotel when a clash of heads brought the proceedings to an unexpected and controversial conclusion.

The first round was less than a minute old when the incident occurred, although by then, the referee had already warned Cham-bers to keep his head up.

It was to no avail. Rising sharply from a clinch, Chambers' head made contact above Callaghan's eye to inflict a nasty injury that later required seven stitches.

The referee stopped the contest, leaving a bloodied Callaghan to assume a 'no contest' decision would follow but, to his dismay, such a decision was not forthcoming.

The incident infuriated Callaghan: "If I had been beaten fair and square, I could accept that," he said, "but I really felt he had nothing to offer and was sure I was going to beat him easily.

"I was sure the referee would rule the result as a no-contest, but now it looks as if it is going to go down as a defeat on my record.

"I'm really disappointed and frustrated and I'm not even sure if the injury will heal in time for my next scheduled fight on June 29."

Scant consolation for Callaghan was a doctor's verdict that the injury should not necessarily hamper his progress in the long term, but one can fully understand his dismay to see his unbeated record sullied in such a manner.

One thing is for sure, however. Callaghan is too good a prospect to allow this setback to distract him from his ambitions to make it to the top.

Marc P. Callaghan, whose unbeaten record was brought to an end in the most controversial of circumstances.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.