Oxford University missed out on regaining the Truelove Bowl in the 103rd Varsity Match at the Town Hall, losing 5-4 to Cambridge on a night when luck was definitely not on their side.

Had two debatable decisions swung their way it would have helped the Dark Blues exorcise their 9-0 defeat in London 12 months ago.

Instead, Cambridge will be bidding for three in a row when the Oxbridge boxers meet again in 2011.

This year’s Oxford University squad was much better prepared, with more bouts under their belts and a new training regime that saw them travel to other boxing clubs in the area.

The new approach seemed to have reaped dividends in the first three contests.

Melvin Chen (Mansfield) applied the pressure from the bell to confidently outbox taller Cambridge rival Faisal Nasim and gain a unanimous verdict at featherweight.

Balliol chemist Chris Pearson had the right formula to see off Jason Blick in just 61 seconds – two unanswered barrages prompted standing counts before referee Sandy Mathewson waved off the lightweight clash.

And southpaw Leon Upton comprehensively outworked Brett Shanley – imposing a standing count with a straight left towards the end of the middle round – to gain victory at light welterweight.

Then came the first controversial verdict as Josh Fields landed more eye-catching shots, but missed out on a split decision against Fergal McCool at welterweight.

The battle of the two team captains at light middle saw Cambridge’s Chris Webb get the nod over Richard Pickering (Wadham), but Oxford were 3-2 up at the interval.

The first of the two middleweight rubbers could have swung either way – left hander Ed Chadwick gained a split decision over Carl Walton (Balliol) to level the match.

But the second 75kg clash ended in disappointment for Borna Gueval (Somerville), who seemed to display more accuracy in his work and imposed a standing count following four unanswered rights in the final session.

Ssegawa-Ssekintu Kiwanuka had his arm raised after a highly debatable split decision was delivered that did not go down well with the crowd.

Cambridge’s 4-3 lead was momentary – light heavy Ben Morris might be studying medicine, but he unleashed two ruthless combinations that led to standing counts and the retirement of Tom Burlton at the end of the second round.

The concluding heavyweight clash between Australian law student James Ogg and Bart Dear would decide the destination of the Truelove Bowl with the two teams tied at 4-4.

And it was Dear – the Cambridge-based Texan – who showed more variety in his delivery to claim the verdict and hand overall victory to the Light Blues.

RESULTS Feather (57kg): M Chen (Oxford) Outpd F Nasim (Cambridge) Unan Light (60kg): C Pearson (Oxford) Stpd J Blick (Cambridge) RSC1 (1-01) Light Welter (64kg): L Upton (Oxford) Outpd B Shanley (Cambridge) Unan Welter (69kg): F McCool (Cambridge) Outpd J Fields (Oxford) Maj Light Middle (71kg): C Webb (Cambridge) Outpd R Pickering (Oxford) Unan Middle A (75kg): E Chadwick (Cambridge) Outpd C Walton (Oxford) Maj Middle B (75kg): Ssegawa-Ssekintu Kiwanuka (Cambridge) Outpd B Gueval (Oxford) Maj Light Heavy (81kg): B Morris (Oxford) Bt T Burlton (Cambridge) Retd 2 (2-00) Heavy (91kg): B Dear (Cambridge) Outpd J Ogg (Oxford) Unan