AFTER a hat-trick of defeats, Mickey Steeds had high hopes of punching his way to victory, hammering veteran Terry Dunstan to the canvas in the opening seconds of their six-rounder on the Matchroom bill at York Hall, Bethnal Green, on Friday night. Howeve

AFTER a hat-trick of defeats, Mickey Steeds had high hopes of punching his way to victory, hammering veteran Terry Dunstan to the canvas in the opening seconds of their six-rounder on the Matchroom bill at York Hall, Bethnal Green, on Friday night.

However, the 41-year-old Dunstan came back to slam his way to a points victory in their see-saw struggle.

Referee Ken Curtis scored Dunstan a 58-56 winner, but Docklands fighter Steeds was not happy with the decision and made a plea for a rematch in a title fight.

"I could not understand how the referee scored the fight to him by two points - I'd like a rematch with Dunstan for the English cruiserweight title," said the Peacock Gym-trained fighter Steeds, who earlier lost British title challenges at cruiserweight and heavyweight.

Steeds triggered the powerful right which sent Dunstan crashing in the opening round, but the former European title-holder fought back to score with the more accurate long-range punches in a tough tussle that could well make a return in 2010.

Both were rocked in the hard-fought rounds that followed with the Docklands fighter shaking off some solid shots to come back, landing powerful punches in the fifth round.

The east London fighter was told by his cornermen that he needed to step up the pressure in the final round to make sure of the decision, but it was the veteran Dunstan finding the target to clinch the referee's decision.

However, the battle between the pair, who both made early exits from the Prizefighter cruisereweight event won by Ovill McKenzie at Earls Court earlier in the year, could make a good return clash in 2010 - with Steeds hungry for another title chance.