DAVID Starie today said that he was "absolutely gutted"that his interim WBC world title bout with Markus Beyer is off.The reigning British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion from Elmswell was due to fly to Leipzig today ahead of the fight against the German.

By Dave Allard

DAVID Starie today said that he was "absolutely gutted"that his interim WBC world title bout with Markus Beyer is off.

The reigning British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion from Elmswell was due to fly to Leipzig today ahead of the fight against the German.

Beyer has called off due to a pulled muscle and it could be that the contest will go ahead next February.

But Starie is worried that if reigning champion Eric Lucas of Canada becomes fit again this may not happen.

The former Hurstlea-Kerridge Club of Needham Market amateur explained: "Lucas has been ill and this is the reason that the fight between Beyer and me was sanctioned by the WBC. Beyer is the number one challenger to Lucas, if he recovers from his health problems, then it could be that Beyer will fight him.

"Hopefully I'll still get this fight, but I'm not taking anything for granted. I'm so upset that Beyer has got this injury that he feels is serious enough to pull out. All my family have booked to go over. It's all a big let-down.

"I'm feeling in great shape and was confident I could have been successful. Victory would have given me and my family a great Christmas. Now it's all a bit uncertain again. But Beyer has called off and I've just got to accept it."