You wouldn't know it just yet, but the biggest amateur boxing event in the world outside the Olympic Games begins in Belfast next week, June 3rd10th. The World Amateur Championships organisers are fine tunning for the record-breaking event to be held in the Odyssey Arena, with Wayne McCullough lined up to help raise the profile of the event.

The tournament has attracted entries from 67 countries and, with 427 competitors, makes it the largest seniors event in the sport's history. The only hitch has been the late addition of more referees. Initially 24 were scheduled to cover the event, but that has more than doubled to 57.

Quite an increase at such a late stage, but given the fiasco of the last championships in Houston, Texas, during which the Cuban team walked out and the judges were roundly booed by the crowd for disgraceful decisions, that particular investment might not be a bad idea.