Stalker was one win away from securing a European bronze medal

Paul King, the chief executive of the Amateur Boxing Association, believes Huyton's Tom Stalker has the potential to reach the top of the sport.

Stalker, 23, narrowly missed out on a bronze medal at the recent European Championships, losing his quarter-final 6-4 to Belarussian Vazgen Safaryants.

King told BBC Radio Merseyside: "The next 18 months is going to be the making of Tom.

"He has a fantastic opportunity to build on an exceptionally tough event."

"I have no doubts at all that had he been in the other side of the draw, I think Tom would have potentially come through," added King.

King believes Stalker's experience in Liverpool during the 10-day European Championships will stand him in good stead in the build up to London 2012.

I think Tom will have learnt from what he saw last week and I think he understands what he needs to do to take himself forward Paul King on Tom Stalker

"I think Tom will have learnt from what he saw last week and I think he understands what he needs to do to take himself forward.

In Liverpool, bantamweight Luke Campbell won England's first gold medal at a European Championships for 47 years.

King added Stalker is capable of following in Campbell's footsteps in the future.

"It was absolutely tremendous, I said all along that Like Campbell was geared towards London 2012.

"He proved last week that he can potentially win the same medal in London.

"There are one or two others, like Tom Stalker, taking stock of what he has achieved in such a short space of time in international boxing."

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