MacIntosh, 26, heads to Buenos Aires, Argentina on Thursday for the last of his three chances to earn a spot in the boxing draw for September's Olympic Games in Australia.

 The four-time Canadian champion, a Cape Breton native living and training in Halifax, failed to qualify in previous events in Florida and Mexico.

 Although it's not certain at this point, it appears MacIntosh's only shot to make the Olympics is to win the May 29-June 3 qualifier.

 Twenty-eight berths (the possibility of one more is being discussed) are available in the American zone (North America, South America, Caribbean). World-No. 1 Cuba gets to send a full slate of 12 boxers without qualifying.

 "It's unfortunate that I had to make this trip," MacIntosh said this week. "It was hard at first to deal with the fact I am not in it yet.

 "I know guys are going to be down for this tournament, but everyone still is going to be shooting to beat me. I have to go in there and live up to all my billing and win that tournament."

 Six other Canadian champs have yet to qualify.

 In the previous two tournaments, MacIntosh just needed to advance to the final for an Olympic ticket.

 MacIntosh's teammates used to tease him about his uncanny ability to come up with good tournament draws.

 That's all changed this year after he drew American Jermain Taylor, a bona fide Olympic medal prospect, in the semifinals in Florida and Jose Zertuche, the pride of Mexico, in the quarter-finals in Tijuana.

 "I can't get over how bad my luck's been," he said.

 MacIntosh hasn't soured on the Olympic ideal, but he's not too thrilled about qualifying process.

 The Americans qualified a big slate of fighters in Tampa and the Mexicans qualified seven in Mexico.

 MacIntosh knows that host countries pay huge sums for hosting rights. In exchange, they expect Olympians.

 The Pan-Am Games and Commonwealth Games silver medalist thinks that may explain some questionable judging.

 "The home country has won the gold medal in both tournaments," he said. "I mean, that's not a coincidence. It's just not fair."

 Many of the best 71 kg. fighters have already qualified. MacIntosh can expect stiff competition from the host country, Brazil and Colombia.

 He said he's frustrated that fighters he's licked in the past are already guaranteed spots in the Sydney draw.

 "It's discouraging because if I felt I didn't deserve to be there and I was just hoping to make it, then I'd be like, 'O.K., I've got another chance.' But I know I should be there now and I'm not."

 He lost to Zertuche when the referee stopped the fight in the fourth round. But MacIntosh, who likes to fight defensively and pick his spots when to open up on offence, said dubious scoring in the first three rounds left him no chance but to take chances at the end.

 MacIntosh, with quick hands, estimates he outpunched his opponent 10-1.

 "Against the American it was a good close fight in his home country so I'll give it to him. But the Mexican, no. There was just no way they were going to give me the points I needed. I had to knock him out to win because they weren't going to give it to me."

 He said he may have throw caution to the wind in Argentina and look for knockouts.

 "I like smart fights and I'm used to coming out on top. I go out there and box smart and they (judges) look at it as a slow enough pace that they can steal it from me. I'm going to try to stop people, that's it."