been scrapped.

Bermuda Amateur Boxing Association officials had hoped to feature women on this Saturday's card at the Bermuda College gym but were forced to put off the idea for lack of an opponent.

Meredith Brady of the Police Boxing Section was ready to make Bermuda history but organisers could find no suitable opponent in her 125-pound weight class.

"We're trying but I don't think it's going to come off unless somebody comes through,'' BBA president Kevin (Mannix) Simmons said yesterday.

And last night that appeared highly unlikely after Alan (Forty) Rego, who runs a gym out of his Warwick home, confirmed two women who had been training with him stopped coming out two weeks ago.

"I don't know what happened to them,'' said Rego.

Boxers will not be allowed to compete unless they have demonstrated the ability to defend themselves, he said.

"We want to be very careful,'' Rego said. "They have to at least have an idea of what they're doing.'' Saturday's card, beginning at 8 p.m., is the first under the new executive of the BBA, which has vowed to revitalise the sport after a decade of decline.

But even in the sport's heyday of the 1980s, two women have never fought on an Island card.

Simmons said he had received no negative feedback over the plan.

"It's not a problem as far as the BABA is concerned,'' spokesman Craig Morfitt added. "(But) I'm sure some members of the public would be opposed to it.'' Brady may get her chance in October; Morfitt said a police boxing team from Franklin County, Massachussets, is interested in sending fighters, including women, for a card here.

In addition to wearing padded head gear, women amateur boxers also don protection, with a hardened outer shell, to cover their midsection.

Meanwhile, six bouts have been confirmed for Saturday, plus a pair of exhibitions.

Simmons said the BABA had hoped for more but "Some fighters didn't think they were ready, so what started out as 10-12 (bouts) is now down to six,'' Simmons said.

As a result, the price of admission has been lowered to $5. Door prizes will also be offered.

In addition, a bizarre form of sumo wrestling is being offered by organisers, with members of the audience and BABA executive putting on bulky, padded suits and bumping bellies with each other.