THE IRISH Amateur Boxing Association has failed to reach an agreement on the outcome of last week's light-welterweight semi-final in the National championships with the result that the final will not take place as scheduled in the National Stadium tonight.

The problem arose last weekend when the computer scoring system broke down during the semi-final between Sean Barrett of the Rylane club in Cork and Mark Wickham of St Patrick's-St Anthony's, Wexford. The system was restored and the bout was awarded initially to Barrett. A close scrutiny of the rules revealed, however, that this was not in order.

It appears that the rules state that, in the event of the system breaking down, the bout should have been stopped to allow the computer scoring to be restored. The system was in fact restored but a period of 50 seconds was lost and, although Barrett was adjudged the winner, legal advice obtained by the IABA later indicated that the bout should have been declared a "non-contest" and would have to be boxed again.

Wickham's club agreed to a rematch during the National finals tonight but Barrett's club disagreed and the matter is now in the hands of legal teams. Efforts to reach agreement were pursued until late yesterday afternoon without success. The president of the IABA, Brendan O Conaire, said that he regretted that the problem had arisen but that the outcome would have to be decided at a later date. "In the meantime we have a very attractive 11-bout bill and we are expected a great night's boxing," he said.

An unusual, if not unique, situation has arisen in that three sets of brothers will be contesting titles at different weights. Harry and Liam Cunningham from the Saints club in Belfast, are challenging for the lightflyweight and flyweight titles, Terry and Aodh Carlyle (Sacred Heart, Dublin) go for the feather and lightweight laurels and Alan and Stephen Reynolds (St Joseph's, Sligo) are aiming for the light-heavy and heavyweight honours.