Macclesfield's skilful light-heavyweight Peter Bebbington tasted defeat in the 81kg category, of the 2012 ABAE Senior Elite National Championships.
The finals, held at York Hall, Bethnall Green, saw Bebbington up against 6ft 4in Earlsfield fighter Kirk Garvey, a British championship winner and multiple London Senior champion.
In a back-and-forth affair Bebbington, a semi-finalist at 75kg last year, was edged out but still won lot of plaudits.
An overdue return to three-three minute rounds has lately made the amateur code a far more edifying spectacle and, for the first time in the tournament’s rich 131-year history, every bout was televised exclusively live on BoxNation.
Macclesfield head coach Kevin Bradbury said: "Reaching the final of the senior Elite ABAE National Championships is a great achievement and especially the way Peter has performed to reach it.
"This has been a fantastic journey for him and the start of a new sporting chapter in his boxing career.
"Pete Bebbington has not only done himself proud but the club and the town of Macclesfield.
"He showedgreat courage and a fantastic attitude throughout the national championships and the results have shown how good he is, we can all move forward from here."
