"After losing my world title last year I really felt I needed something strong to get me back on course."Today sees the stalwart figures of Ray Stevens and Kate Howey in action. Both have developed a habit of coming second: they have won European silver medals and Stevens was an Olympic silver medallist in Barcelona while Howey came second in the World Championships in 1993. At 32, time is running out for Stevens but, as a superb technician, he has a longer competitive life than most. Howey, who is only 23, matured early but knows that, injury permitting, this year could be the best chance for making her mark at the highest level.GREAT BRITAIN: MEN Bantamweight (under 60kilos) N Donohu; Featherweight (U-65kg) J Davies; Lightweight (U-71kg) D Kingston; Light-middleweight (U-78kg) G Randall; Middleweight (U-86kg) R Birch; Light-heavy (U-95kg) R Stevens; No heavyweight. However, she has emerged not only top of the European rankings but she feels a harder, better fighter."Before I won the world title in 1993 I went off the beaten track to train and compete in Cuba, which was a tough experience I have never forgotten," she said.

It might have done me a favour."Graham takes what he hopes to be his final test on 24 May, and expects to hear positive news a couple of days later. If all goes to plan, he will return as a super-middleweight.. As the European Championships get underway here today, Neil Adams, the British team manager, can consider with some satisfaction that a total of 10 fighters - six men and four women - have already qualified for the Olympics. This follows four months on the road, fighting hard in a succession of European tournaments, a far cry from the days when no qualification was needed for the Games, and the elite fighters would peak only for a few big competitions. Even Nicola Fairbrother, the 25-year-old European lightweight champion, has had to do the circuit. There was a time when certain people followed me around everywhere but, because they think I've sunk, they've all bailed out.

"I made a lot of money, but gave a lot of it away to my associates and friends. "I applaud what he's done, but I still remember him as a kid, knocking on my door and asking me to come and spar with him. I used to let him beat me up because he was such a great kid. I'm pleased for him but, sure, it rankles a bit because I know that he's achieved what I failed to do."Times have changed for Graham since the heady days of the late '80s and early '90s He discovered that his failure made him just another loser. But I don't want to be telling people in 20 years' time that I could have been a world champion."There must be other reasons behind a decision which most outsiders would disagree with. For example, it must be difficult to see Hamed, a kid who looked up to Graham, now achieving everything he failed to do."I wouldn't be human if I didn't have mixed emotions," he agrees. I had just taught Cornelius Carr, the British champion, a lesson."I know most comebacks end in failure, and then they disappear into oblivion.