DEFIANT boxer Sam Ball has vowed to fight on despite being narrowly defeated in the finals of the Scottish Championships.

The teenage sensation from Greenock thought he’d won the bout against top opponent Josh Taylor.

But his rival was handed the title after a 2-1 judges decision at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow.

Sam, 18, who trains at Greenock ABC, said: “I’m pretty disappointed to be honest.

“It was a really close fight. I thought I’d won but the judges didn’t see it that way.

“When I came out the ring, everyone who knows me and people I’ve never even seen before said I’d been robbed and I should have won.” It means that Sam’s dream of Commonwealth glory is on the ropes with Josh taking a coveted place on the national squad.

But the east end youngster was magnanimous in defeat, saying: “There’s no shame in getting beaten by someone like Josh, a Commonwealth silver medalist and Olympian.

“I’m not going to let this hold me back, this is a positive for me.

“In my opinion and everyone else’s opinion I beat Josh. We have watched the fight over and over again.

“I gave the best performance of my life.

“I just didn’t get the decision.” Sam is now looking to the future and beyond the Glasgow games to the World Championships next year and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

He said: “It’s onwards and upwards from here. If I reach the quarter finals of the World Championships, I will be in the selection for the Olympics.

“These are my aims and goals for the next year and a half.” But Sam hasn’t given up his dream of representing his country this summer just yet.

He said: “There’s always that possibility, I’m on the reserve list just now and I’m still training as if I would be going.” The final selection for the Commonwealth boxing team will be announced at the end of June.