Barnes has to settle for a draw

David Barnes failed in his bid to land the vacant WBO Intercontinental title after he drew his fight against Namibian Ali Nuumbembe in Barnsley.

The unbeaten British welterweight champion, who took the fight on at short notice, was forced to work hard against a durable opponent.

And after 12 rounds, the judges could not separate the pair as they scored it 115-114, 114-116, 115-115 respectively.

"How they can give that as a draw I do not know," said Barnes.

"It is unbelievable, I was well ahead. I don't know how many times I hit him but he was wobbling all over the place.

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"I am just really disappointed. I was controlling the pace of the fight and I just don't understand a decision like that."

However Nuumbembe, who took bronze at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and has lost just one of his professional fights, believed he had done enough to take the title.

"I thought I won it," he insisted. "I handled his southpaw style and I boxed well.

"We had trained to face that sort of fighter and I never felt I had any problems."