While a developmental Amalgamated Boxing Club team so nearly pulled off an epic comeback win in a dramatic return to Beau Sejour Open Show action, coaches Ben Duff and Liam Doherty were being announced as winners in the Pride of Guernsey Awards at St Pierre Park.

But Finn Walsh and Emile Prevel were left with a sense of what could have been after losing out in the semi-finals of the National Development Championships in Kettering.

Although they failed to make Sunday’s title bouts, both still came home as national medallists after reaching the finals weekend.

Prevel fought in the under 62.5kg ‘semis’ against Yorkshire’s Yassir Ali, who was not only slightly taller but had an unbeaten record of 11-0.

The Guernseyman had to adapt his style due to the height disadvantage and boxed more aggressively than usual, which put his opponent under pressure.

But he could not do quite enough and so fell on the wrong end of a 3-2 split decision.

Walsh went up against Kai Kennedy, from Liverpool’s Frankie Knuckles club, in the under 57.5kg class.

He applied his usual style of pressure boxing against a skilled counter-puncher, who mixed elusiveness with aggression.

He worked hard from the first bell until the end, though sustaining a cut just above the right ear in a second-round clash of heads lost him his rhythm briefly.

He fired back to top the third round but ultimately lost on a 4-1 split.

Coach Matt Walsh, Finn’s father and in his day one of Guernsey’s top boxers, praised the performances of both competitors.

‘Both decisions could have gone in our favour, but that’s boxing,’ he said.

‘Both boys are disappointed but upbeat.’

This concluded a successful campaign for the Guernsey club, with the duo having placed in the top four nationally and fellow Amdavad 2030 Commonwealth Games hopeful Tyler Quintal making the quarter-finals.

Their absence from the October Fight Night had a silver lining for the next echelon of boxers – and particularly Arnie Watson.

Watson took the vacant top spot in the Beau Sejour bill and marked the opportunity with a bout-of-the-night victory.

He battled back from a bleeding nose to beat the Western Counties’ Callum Cowell on split decision and rejuvenate his career.

‘I’m extremely happy,’ he said.

‘I started this eight years ago and I wasn’t where I wanted to be. I remember not too long ago I was just starting the night and now I’m ending it.

‘I can’t wait to get back in there next month [for the Dinner Boxing Show on 13 November].’

Overall, Guernsey had been edged 5-4 by the strong Western Counties side, despite having hit the interval 4-0 down. Jack Smith, Bradley Bacon and Jay Mason also tasted victory in this dramatic turnaround.

Smith was the one to begin this fightback and it clearly meant a lot to him.

‘It’s a privilege to represent the island – that’s what it’s all about,’ he said.

‘It feels incredible to come out and bounce back from that streak.’