WARRINGTON Sports Personality of 2005 Graham Sayer successfully came through the toughest contest of his competition career amid mixed fortunes for his clubmates in Darlington at the weekend.

Sayer's second defence of his Amateur Kickboxing Association world middleweight title was against short-notice opponent Darren Longthorne, the current British middleweight champion.

Sayer extended a large points lead on several occasions but Longthorne showed resolute determination to pull the score back to level pegging.

The score between red and blue was level at the end of round four and extra time was brought into play, as is the case under AKA rules.

The world champion scored points in a polished fashion in round five only to be rushed by Longthorne and dragged into a war.

Sayer's instructor at Warrington Kickboxing Studio, Neil Holden, said: "At the toll of the bell, Sayer had managed to maintain a points lead, winning the contest by an incredible 217pts to 214, while most championship contests have average scores of 120 points over four rounds."

Last-minute changes to the event's order of play handed Warrington's Paul Quayle a shot at the inter-continental light heavyweight title in an England versus India clash.

Quayle, ranked sixth in England, beat Indian champion Jasjeet Walia by technical knockout.

Police officer Quayle had to rally a storm of heavy punches early in the contest and out-boxed Walia in the second round, extending a long points lead as Walia failed to cover sufficiently.

Warrington's Chris Heath was asked to make his debut defence of his world lightweight title against Gary Rickinson, Darlington's current European champion, after being told that the Indian team had not gained entry to the UK.

Following the contest being agreed, and additional ticket sales and ringside sponsorship made for the local fighter, it transpired that only one of the three-man Indian team was not allowed to attend the championships, and Heath's opponent had been re-matched against someone else.

Heath, to his credit, went ahead with the agreed world title defence against the Darlington opponent and lost on points after a close contest.

Warrington's Paige Farrington was unable to be matched on Saturday but is hoping to be busy in 2007.