NICK McDonald's bid for Four Nations glory received a dramatic knockout blow on the eve of the tournament in Dublin.
The Vauxhall Motors ABC star (pictured) had identified the championships as the perfect tournament to step up his preparations for the Commonwealth Games.
But, according to McDonald's coach George Treble, officials from the England ABA squad decided to withdraw the 21-year-old fighter due to a lack of serious competition.
McDonald has now been pencilled in for an international event to be staged in Bulgaria on February 14.
McDonald said: 'I'm a bit frustrated because I was ready to box and I was looking forward to winning another Four Nations title.
'But in the long run it makes more sense because the Commonwealth Games is the big one and the one I want to win.'
McDonald's coach George Treble has also backed the decision but admitted he did feel some regret that McDonald could not add to the Four Nations title he has already won.
He said: 'It's a shame he didn't get to box because he enjoys the rivalry with the other three nations.
'We know he would have won it, but at the end of the day Nick's number one target this year is the Commonwealth Games.
'He loves to win and test himself and so when the England team decided it was going to be too easy for him he was happy to have the opportunity to prove himself against tougher opposition.'
Only last week McDonald told the Pioneer of his ambitions to test himself against the very best and how he hopes 2006 will be the year he makes his long-awaited breakthrough on to the international stage.
Despite his Four Nations disappointment the ABA's decision is proof of how highly regarded he is in boxing circles and suggests he is on course for a big future in the sport.
Since being selected for the Commonwealth Games squad the talented bantamweight has been placed on an intense training programme that has included a week in a warm weather camp in Cyprus in January as well as five days a week at the team's Crystal Palace headquarters. McDonald will spend a week in a holding camp on March 4 before his bid for the Commonwealth Games title begins in six weeks time on March 14.
