Downunder wrap-up: Buttigieg suprises Jerkic, Maciej vs. Mako, Katsidis comeback, ANBOF results, March Madness
By Anthony Cocks
Undefeated Melbourne junior middleweight Anthony “The Boss” Buttigieg 13-0 (3) shocked local pundits and bookmakers alike by outpointing highly-touted Rocky Jerkic 15-1 (12) to claim both the vacant Commonwealth and OPBF 154lb titles at the Melbourne Pavilion in Flemington, Australia on Friday Night.
The 28-year-old former chef overcame a 4 ½ inch height disadvantage to outhustle the six foot Jerkic over twelve heats and put the first blemish on his professional ledger.
With all the physical advantages going to the 29-year-old Newcastle-based Queenslander, even promoter Brian Amatruda admitted he thought his fighter was biting off more than he could chew.
“When offered the opportunity to fight for these titles I told Anthony he probably would not win,” Amatruda revealed on Facebook. “Rocky was an outstanding champion that had huge potential and out out there as the next big thing and Anthony whilst undefeated and a great fighter was not in my opinion on the same level as Rocky.
“Anthony jumped at the opportunity and promised to give up work for two months and dedicate himself to training for this fight. This was his world title fight. Well, Anthony kept his promise and trained twice a day, did all the things needed like changed his diet and countless rounds of sparring all around Melbourne.
“Tonight that dream came true and we have a new Commonwealth and OPBF champion after one of the best fights ever staged at the Melbourne Pavilion.”
Buttigieg was relentless and tenacious all night. He crowded Jerkic on the inside, imposed a fast pace on the fight and never let Jerkic find his rhythm. While Jerkic had some early success with single shots to the body, Buttigieg got the better of almost all the exchanges with combinations that repeatedly had Jerkic backing up. Buttigieg used his left hand to good effect, using the jab to close the distance and the left hook to the body and head when in range. Jerkic struggled to find Buttigieg’s head as the shorter man bobbed and weaved his way inside.
Even in the fourth round when Jerkic changed tactics and met Buttigieg toe-to-toe he found the smaller man a frustratingly difficult target to hit while shipping big punishment himself.
Jerkic fought his way back into the bout in the eighth. After hurting Buttigieg in the middle of the round Jerkic teed off on his opponent, trying to get him out of there. Buttigieg valiantly weathered the storm and when Jerkic had punched himself out he turned the tables, forcing Jerkic to the ropes and unloading with both hands. The action-packed round was punctuated by Jerkic losing his mouthguard at the bell.
The last four rounds were closely contested with Buttigieg slowing down but still applying consistent pressure while Jerkic found some success pot-shotting from range with sharp, accurate punches.
At the final bell the judges scored the fight 115-113, 114-113 and 113-115. It was difficult to make a case for a Jerkic victory.
With the win Buttigieg becomes the 47th Australian Commonwealth champion and joins welterweight Kris George and super middleweight Zac Dunn as reigning Australian Commonwealth champions.
Maciej vs Mako in Melbourne
Australia has lived up to its reputation as one of the most dangerous countries in the world with new arrival Maciej Sulecki 23-0 (8) questioning his decision to take a swim in Port Phillip Bay recently.
The Polish-born New York-based middleweight, who is in Australia to provide sparring to world ranked super middleweight Zac Dunn ahead of his Commonwealth title defense against Scotsman David Brophy on March 17th, asked a local about the likelihood of a shark attack in Melbourne waters.
"Nah mate," he was confidently told, "you won’t find them around beachside suburbs."
So Sulecki jumped into the drink at Hampton Beach and swam about 70 metres off shore.
Meanwhile, a fellow swimmer on the beach spotted a shark in the shallow waters that he identified as a mako. For those who aren’t familiar with their shark species, makos – also known as blue pointers – are thought responsible for 42 attacks on humans over a 30 year span, including three fatalities and 20 boat attacks. In other words, they don’t mix well with others.
After much shouting and frantic sign language from the shore, Sulecki made his way safely back to the beach.
Sulecki was nonplussed by the close encounter.
"No problems," the 27-year-old told local newspaper the Sunday Herald Sun. "If I see shark, I hit with left hook."
The 26-year-old Dunn, who is also undefeated at 23-0 (18), was a little more forthright.
"If I saw one I’d give it both hands, the left hook and the right cross," he said. "But put it this way, I’d rather not find out."
If nothing else, Sulecki will leave with a story to tell his family and friends.
Welcome to the Land Down Under, old china.
Katsidis on the Comeback Trail
Two-time former WBO interim lightweight champion Michael "The Great" Katsidis 31-7 (24) from Toowoomba returns to the ring this Saturday night against Townsville’s Josh King 20-4 (9) at Rumours International in Toowoomba, Queensland in a junior welterweight clash over eight rounds on a Brendon Smith promoted card.
The crowd pleasing pressure fighter has been out of action for almost two years and has only fought four times since 2012. A health scare in early 2013 sidelined him for over a year when a brain scan was thought to show scarring from his many ring wars against some of the best in the world. Katsidis was subsequently cleared to box after it was revealed the scan was originally misread.
For the 36-year-old Katsidis, who owns and operates a gym at Burleigh Heads on the Queensland Gold Coast, a win will breath some life into the twilight of his ring career. But a win over King will be no walk in the park.
“I’m going out there to try and stop him,” King told The Toowoomba Chronicle last week. “I think I’ve got the power to stop him and beat him pretty convincingly.
“I’ve taken the fight thinking 100 per cent that I can win.”
It will be 31-year-old King’s first bout since losing to current WBA 140lb champion Ricky Burns by 11th round stoppage when he got caught by a left hook to the body in November 2015. Katsidis is also familiar with Burns, losing his WBO interim lightweight title to the 33 year-old Scotsman by unanimous decision in 2011.
The fight night is a memorial for talented featherweight Brayd “The Great White” Smith, son of promoter and trainer Brendon Smith, who tragically died after losing a unanimous decision for the vacant WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental title at the same venue in March 2015.
Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame Results
On Saturday 4th March the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame hosted their annual induction dinner at the Pullman Hotel in Melbourne, Victoria.
The doyen on Melbourne boxing, ring announcer “Handsome” Howard Leigh, was the inaugural recipient of the Gus Mercurio Memorial Award. Leigh has been a fixture of the fight game in this country for over 50 years. There has barely been a fight of significance that has occurred in the state of Victoria that hasn’t featured his dulcet tones and loud suits during the past half a century. A worthy recipient by any measurement.
31-year-old super middleweight Jayde Mitchell 11-1 (5) from Rye on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria won the Australian Boxer of the Year award against a red-hot field that included world ranked boxers Jeff Horn, Zac Dunn, Shannon O’Connell, Jason Moloney and Andrew Moloney.
The inductees to the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame this year are as follows:
MODERN: Ken Salisbury 30-1-1 (9) – The highly successful Salisbury boxed his first four pro bouts as Kenny Holden. Turning pro in 1979, only Phil Spider Davies blemished his pro career with a draw in 1981 before his final fight when he lost the bout and his Commonwealth title to England’s Nicky Wiltshire in 1985. Salisbury was the Commonwealth junior middleweight champion 1984-85.
VETERAN: Russell Sands 35-19-4 (10) – Part of the famous Sands boxing family, the 5’6” southpaw was the youngest of the fighting brood. Sands fought as high as welterweight but his career was predominantly as a featherweight, the weight where he won the national title in 1955. Notable opponents include George Bracken in 1956 and 1958 (LKO5, LKO7).
INTERNATIONAL: Eddie McGoorty 64-18-12 (43) – Born in Eureka, Wisconsin USA, McGoorty had notable fights against George Chip in 1920 (D10, W10), Harry Greb in 1918 (L10), Jack Dillon in 1911 (WTKO4, L10) and Les Darcy in 1915 (LTKO15, LTKO8). McGoorty spent most of 1914 to 1917 in Australia, fighting there a total of 17 times for a record of 11-6 (10).
OLD TIMER: Colin Bell 49-16-3 (31) – Born in Narrabri, New South Wales in 1883, ‘The Moree Mountain’ turned professional in 1909 at the relatively old age of 25. The former Australian heavyweight champion had notable fights against Sam Langford in 1913 and 1914 (D15, LTKO4), Sam McVea in 1913 (LKO2, LTKO16), Joe Jeanette in 1914 (L20) and Gunboat Smith in 1915 (W10).
PIONEER: Jim Burge 16-10-13 (12) – Although his exact date of birth is not known, it is thought Burge was born in 1952. That would mean ’Ironbark’ didn’t turn professional until an age when most people are retiring from the sport: 35. The former Australian lightweight champion mixed with the best company in and around his weight class before retiring at 43 years old. Notable opponents: Young Griffo in 1890 (L4) and Torpedo Billy Murphy in 1891 (NC29, WKO30).
NON-PARTICIPANT: Joe Wallis, Referee. The remarkable Joe Wallis was born on 3 December 1888 and refereed over 5,200 bouts between 1914 and 1950, including four Archie Moore fights when ‘The Old Mongoose’ was touring Australia in 1940. The last fight he refereed was between Freddie Dawson and Jack Hassen in 1950. He passed away two years later.
March Madness Continues
There are 13 boxing cards still yet to take in March across Australia. Victoria, Queensland, News South Wales, Northern Territory, Western Australia and Tasmania all have fights scheduled. South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory are the only places without boxing scheduled for March.
World ranked super middleweight Zac Dunn 23-0 (18) defends his Commonwealth title against Scotland’s David Brophy 18-1-1 (2) at the Melbourne Pavilion on 17th March on a stacked Brian Amatruda card that will also feature Czar Amonsot 33-3-3 (21) battling Hungarian Zsigmond Vass 12-4 (2) in the second defence of his interim WBA Oceania junior welterweight title. WBA #10 featherweight Joel Brunker 30-2 (17) will also be in action with the rest of the card filled out with heavyweight clashes.
In Tasmania Luke Jackson 13-0 (5) kicks off his 2017 campaign at the Hobart City Hall on 18th March against Mohammed Kamburuta 13-1 (3) of Tanzania in a 10 round super featherweight clash. Adam Wilcock promotes. On the same night in Queensland light heavyweight Trent Broadhurst 20-1 (12) will defend his IBF International title for the first time against American Travis Reeves 13-2-2 (7) at Eaton Hills Hotel, Eaton Hills, on an Angelo Di Carlo promoted card. Meanwhile in Melbourne the Function Centre at Melbourne Park will be hosting Jayde Mitchell 11-1 (5) as he defends his interim WBA Oceania super middleweight title against veteran gatekeeper Les Sherrington 35-9 (19) of Queensland. The Lynden Hosking promoted card will also feature Sylvia Scharper 6-1-1 (1) clashing with Papua New Guinea-born Queenslander Kori Farr 2-3-1 for the vaaustcant Women’s International Boxing Association world bantamweight title. The popular Balla brothers, Qamil and Ibrahim, will also see action on the same card.
The interim Australian heavyweight title will be on the line when Demsey McKean 9-0 (3) climbs into the ring with experienced former national champion Hunter Sam 11-9-2 (4) at the Ipswich Civic Centre, Ipswich, Queensland on 24th March on a Kurtis Pegoraro promoted card. McKean and Sam met in December of last year with McKean winning by decision over six rounds. This fight will be contested over 10.
Team Ellis are promoting their inaugural card for 2017 on 25th March at the Melbourne Pavilion with a stacked line-up headlined by the highly anticipated rematch between Mitch "Big Country" Middleton-Clark 11-2 (11) and Clint Alderton 7-1 (5). Southpaw Middleton-Clark lost their first encounter in August 2016 by eight round split decision for the vacant Victorian state light heavyweight title. Middleton-Clark was down in the 4th injuring his right knee. His movement was compromised after that. This fight is for the IBF Pan Pacific light heavyweight title and will be fought over 12.
Big punching former WBC super featherweight champion Diana Prazak 13-3 (9) will be back in action for the first time in 28 months in a six round bout on the same card. It will be the first time Prazak has fought since losing to dominant WBC 135-pound champion Delfine Persoon of Belgium, 30-1 (14) at the time, in her ambitious attempt to become a two-weight world champion by annexing the WBC lightweight title.
If you’re an Aussie fight fan living in a capital city get along and support your shows.
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