BoxRec

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Nicky Cook is finally getting his WBC final eliminator against Jorge Solis.

And who is David Trevena?

Did I read the Heavyweight title press release correct. It appears that the onus is on Gammer/Boyce (if successful) to still fight Danny Williams within 90 days of the Steeds fight.

Hang on, who pulled out for being a pie boy.

What happens if Gammer wins but its a tough one, or he has had a bad cut - will he get stripped?

Perhaps I am reading it wrong.

Ali Nuumbembe keeps his mandatory position! Look forward to that one.

Who is David Trevena?

Here you go...

Courtesy of icnewcastle

A boxer is taking his sport's governing body to a tribunal claiming he has been discriminated against because he is Catholic.

Heavyweight hopeful David `Popeye' Trevena says he has been refused a professional licence by the British Board of Boxing Control because of his religion and because he worked with an Irish trainer, Newcastle-based Thomas `Paddy' Hallett.

The board strongly denies both allegations.

It says the 27-year-old from, Pelton, County Durham, was refused a licence because he was not good enough.

Mr Trevena has lodged a claim for discrimination at a Newcastle employment tribunal and said he is hoping to make the boxing board more open and accountable. The case is to be heard later this year.

Mr Trevena said: "I have been boxing since I was 15. For about the last five or six years it has been my life.

"This has been devastating. It would affect some people more but because I am a pretty tough fighter I have carried on the good fight against them."

Mr Trevena first applied for a licence in August 2004 and has had to complete a medical which included brain scans and eye tests as well as sparring three rounds with a professional.

The 16-stone six-footer says he has had 15 amateur fights, winning 11 and losing four.

After he was refused a licence in December last year, he said that he learned in a telephone conversation that he was turned down because of his connections to Mr Hallett and because he himself was a Catholic.

He claimed: "I just rang after a delay in hearing anything from the boxing board after having my medical.

"They said my trainer was Paddy Hallett and known to be an outspoken Irish Catholic, and as I was known to be a Catholic as well they wanted nothing to do with me."

Mr Hallett, 72, lives in Blakelaw, Newcastle, and has trained junior boxers in boys' clubs for years.

When Mr Trevena's claims were put to Mr Hallett he said: "I have not got a clue why they would take exception to me."

Mr Trevena, who currently works as a doorman, says he has spent around £700 on the medical checks and believes he could have earned up to £20,000 in fights. He said: "It's like Newcastle scoring a goal and saying we are moving the goal to the corner flag."

Simon Block, general secretary of the boxing board, strongly denied it discriminates against Irish or Catholic fighters.

He said: "We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, religion or even sex. We have women boxers now.

"One thing all our licensed boxers have in common is that they have a degree of competence.

"At the moment Mr Trevena has not been able to demonstrate that competence."

How bad have you got to be then, i've seen some pretty awful british heavies in the past.

Given the standard of some of the commonwealth challengers, or indeed some WBO challengers seen on these shores, Trevana must be an amputee for the BBBoC to turn him down on boxing ability alone.

states wrote:Given the standard of some of the commonwealth challengers, or indeed some WBO challengers seen on these shores, Trevana must be an amputee for the BBBoC to turn him down on boxing ability alone.

Its a hard one to desipher.... Should a man who is deemed medically fit (assuming he passed those tests) be permitted from making a living. If he is not at any medical extra risk. Having said that, of course he is at more risk if he isn't competent as he will be taking more punches -but as with Holyfield etc, isn't it his right?

An 11-4 Amateur record doesn't indicate incompetance either.

As people have joked he must have a serious problem if he cannot get a licence...... If Julius Francis can get one year in year out.