Boxing: Simmons decides not to go pro

Leith VICTORIA'S Steve Simmons won't be joining the professional ranks despite losing his place and funding on the Great Britain boxing team after failing to take gold at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Instead, the 26-year-old bronze medal winner will be taking a five-month sabbatical from ring action to secure his future by attending a five-week course in Newcastle later this month where he hopes to qualify as a personal fitness coach.

The former Scottish heavyweight champion said: "At my age, it is too late now to go pro as I would probably only ever end up fighting preliminary six-round bouts for less than a 1000 net so I have decided to stop boxing until the next Scottish championships in March 2011. Now my funding as a British squad team member has stopped, I have to secure my economic future.

"My plan is to qualify as a personal trainer then offer my services to Amateur Boxing Scotland in a paid capacity -then resume boxing in the Scottish championships next spring with an aim to making the London Olympics."