LEADING fight promoter Terry Lawless preferred to be optimistic yesterday, despite ITV's crucial decision to tail off their coverage of major boxing. There can be little doubt that ITV's body blow has knocked a big section of British boxing on to the ropes, especially as television provides major finance for the top fights.

Lawless said "It's a real choker for boxing in general. What boxing is there for the main public to see? BBC are doing very little. We have some very exciting fighters, all in a position to fight for world titles, or very close to it.

"What I can't understand is that ITV get terrific figures for boxing. The people who made the decisions probably don't realise that my British super middle weight champion Joe Calzaghe is a Nigel Benn or Naeem Hamed a couple of tights down the road. that how close it is. He only needs a couple of performances and he's going to be a star."

Boxing draws too many people for them to do away with it completely."