Kidd gloves pack a punch as he weathers storms.

(From Canberra Times)

He is the runt of the Australian Institute of Sport's boxing litter, but his training partners know better than to underestimate the skinny kid with the ''heart of a lion''.

Todd Kidd, 18, was the unexpected star as three AIS boxers won national titles in Adelaide at the weekend - taking them within one step of the Athens Olympics.

As expected, Adam Forsyth and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Daniel Geale won the 91kg and 69kg titles respectively.

Kidd, however, could easily have been eliminated in his opening bout. The 64kg teenager, originally from Queensland's Sunshine Coast, was trailing favourite Anoush Nourian by four points heading into the fourth and final round. Kidd drew equal and won on a countback.

In his second fight, Kidd was trailing the Northern Territory's Henry Collins by six points going into the final round - he came back to win by three.

At the end of the final, which he won by nine points, Kidd was presented with his gold medal as well as the Arthur Tunstall trophy for boxer of the tournament.