Neil Wray's glory dreams were shattered when he was disqualified in the ABA southern semi-finals at Crawley Leisure Centre on Saturday.
Southwick ABC welterweight Wray, 21, floored favourite Lee Beavis (London) after the bell at the end of the first round.
Wray, who was deeply upset, said: "He is meant to be the best boy in the country and I was beating him on points.
"I caught him with a great combination, I saw his eyes go and followed it up. When the ref said break I was halfway through a combination and I knocked him out. What can I do?
"The referee should have been there to break it up. That's the referee's fault."
Earlier, there were worrying scenes when flyweight Stephen Brazil (Southern Counties) needed urgent medical attention in the ring after being knocked out by Dan Broadhurst (Midland Counties).
Boxing had been delayed for 75 minutes after a misunderstanding between Crawley ABC, the leisure centre and St John's Ambulance meant there was no paramedic cover. On the insistence of ABA officials, boxing had not started until one was found but it proved a wise decision as the paramedic was on hand to treat Brazil.
Brazil was taken to hospital but was later reported to have recovered fully and was being kept in over night.
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