Boxing news from the land down under
By Anthony Cocks
WBO welterweight champion Jeff “The Hornet” Horn 18-0-1 (12) suffered a scare in his final sparring session on Tuesday just a day before he was due to fly out to the United States for his world title defence against Terence “Bud” Crawford 32-0 (23) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 9.
During the fifth round of a heated sparring session with American Ray Robinson 24-3 (12), the Philly southpaw paused mid-round and pointed to a cut near the champion’s left eye. There was bated breath in the Stretton Boxing Club gym as trainer Glenn Rushton wiped away the blood and examined the wound.
“You always worry that something is going to happen on the last day of sparring,” said Rushton to the Courier Mail. “Fortunately it’s not a bad cut and it will be 100 per cent right by fight time.”
The 30-year-old “Fighting Schoolteacher” shrugged off the damage and finished off his scheduled 10-rounds with Robinson before working through with another two against Tokyo Olympic hopeful Andrew Hunt.
“I’ve trained very hard for this fight and I’m in the best shape of my life. Better than I was even when I beat Manny Pacquiao. Ray Robinson has given me great sparring,” said Horn.
Coach Rushton echoed those sentiments.
“I’m thrilled with Jeff’s preparation. He’s 20 per cent better than when he beat Manny Pacquiao last year. His workrate and intensity are right where I want them,” said Rushton.
“Today was a winning spar for Jeff. He is like a soldier hitting the beach. He’s ready to fight right now and ready for anything that the opposition throws at him.’’
The cut was the second scare for Horn in the past week, with the welterweight champion involved in a three car accident last Wednesday.
They say that bad things come in threes and Horn is prepared for Crawford’s team to try something on at the weigh-in.
“Crawford and his camp will probably try to push my buttons when I get there. They’ll probably try something at the weigh-in to throw me off but I’m ready for anything,’’ said Horn.
While former two-division world champion Crawford has remained calm and focused in the lead-up to the bout, his excitable trainer Brian “BoMac” McIntyre has been talking smack in the media.
“The pressure’s on Horn but I don’t give a damn where the pressure’s at because Horn’s still getting his ass whipped. I’m gonna look right at his coach [Rushton] and say ‘you a*******’. I tried to tell you that we was gonna win – you been talking all that s***, putting all that s*** in the newspaper – all that s*** on social media and you didn’t have a clue what you were going up against,” said McIntyre.
“I think Horn and his coach are scared because they know that Terence Crawford is going to whip Jeff Horn’s butt.’’
Rushton has laughed off the comments from McIntyre, a former heavyweight journeyman who once lost a four-rounder to Eric “Butterbean” Esch.
“McIntyre’s nickname is ‘BoMac’ but I call him ‘Big Mac’,” said Rushton.
“How dare he challenge me. I’m 60 but having been involved in martial arts for more than four decades I fear no man. I spent years working on doors in Brisbane and I tackled many men much bigger and tougher than Brian McIntyre. He should grow up and act his age.
“Jeff Horn will put him and Terence Crawford in their place next week. Make no mistake, we are going to America to knock Crawford out.’’
Horn, who will be earning a career-high purse of $2.5 million, insists that he has nothing to fear from Crawford who is moving up in weight after unifying the junior welterweight division in a two-and-a-half year campaign that saw him pick up the WBO, WBC, WBA and IBF world titles.
“They’re trying to make me feel nervous and to doubt myself, but I haven’t done that for a second,” Horn told Fox Sports. “I’m not scared of this guy. You have to be confident in boxing. If you go in there thinking you’re going to lose then that’s exactly what will happen.
“I’ve worked harder for this fight than I ever have. I’ll be pushing hard, pressuring him throughout the fight. I’ll be thinking about my family, about my wife and daughter, going to the places that lift me when I need to dig deep.”
BLAKE CAPARELLO PROMISES TO RETIRE TRENT BROADHURST
WBO number 14 light heavyweight Blake “Il Capo” Caparello 26-3-1 (10) believes that the month he has spent in the United States preparing for his fight against Trent Broadhurst 20-2 (12) will make all the difference when the two clash at the Melbourne Pavilion in Flemington, Victoria this Friday night.
The 30-year-old southpaw is coming off a 12-round points loss to Roy Jones Jr-trained contender Isaac Chilemba in March. The slick Melbournian was leading the fight after eight rounds but gave away his lead in the last four rounds of the bout.
Broadhurst received a setback in his last fight too when WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol knocked him out in a single round in Monte Carlo last November.
“This fight is everything to me,” Caparello told Fox Sports’ Fight Call Out program. “It’s billed as ‘Make or Break’ and after my last performance I’m looking to make amends, put in a great performance against Trent.”
To prepare for the fight Caparello spent a month in the United States sparring with other world-rated fighters at the famed Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Caparello believes that the quality rounds he put in with boxers like Badou Jack, who was preparing for his world title shot against Adonis Stevenson, will give him the edge when he meets the 29-year-old Brisbane boxer in their crossroads bout on Friday.
“He says he’s going to walk me down because I can’t punch, he’s going to walk me down and stop me,” said Caparello, who was credited with a knockdown of Sergey Kovalev when the two met in Atlantic City for the WBO light heavyweight title in 2014.
“Well Trent, I hope you live up to your word, I want you to walk me down. After round three or four you’re going to wish that I could punch.
“My final message for Trent, make sure you’ve got a fulltime job booked because after June 1 you’re going into retirement.”
MICHAEL ZERAFA LOOKING ABROAD IN 2018
After a slow year in 2017 reigning Commonwealth junior middleweight champion Michael “Pretty Boy” Zerafa 23-2 (13) is looking to capitalize on the momentum he built defeating England’s Adam Harper 8-1 to claim the vacant crown back in March.
“We wanted to make statements early and fight for prestigious titles, so winning the Commonwealth was a great start to 2018,” said Zerafa, who fought only once last year.
The Harper fight was something of a godsend for the Craigieburn carpenter as then-Commonwealth champion Anthony Buttigieg was forced to withdraw from the Harper fight after suffering an injury in training, opening the door for Zerafa to step in as substitute.
It meant dropping down a weight class from middleweight where Zerafa has competed for much of his seven-year pro career, but he says that he makes the weight easily.
“Cutting weight has always been easy for me as I have made it a lifestyle to remain as close to fight weight as possible,” he said. “And I believe this is my division.”
Zerafa will get the chance to prove he belongs at junior middleweight this Friday night when he takes on Gunnedah southpaw Wade Ryan 14-6 (3) for the vacant WBA Oceania title on the undercard of the crossroad bout between Blake Caparello and Trent Broadhurst at the Melbourne Pavilion.
The tough and durable 28-year-old from country New South Wales has shared the ring with some of Australia’s best boxers in the 154- and 160-pound weight classes, losing close fights to highly-regarded Wes Capper, Jamie Weetch and Liam Hutchinson, while in his last fight he extended Tim Tszyu the 10-round distance, even sitting him down in the opening round.
“I have respect for both Wade and his team for taking the fight,” said Zerafa. “I know he’s tough, awkward and has a lot to gain fighting me, so I’ll be expecting a hard fight but my camp and mindset has been on another level.”
The talent-rich 154-pound division offers a lot of opportunities domestically, but the 26-year-old Zerafa has bigger plans lined up after the Ryan fight.
“I believe I’m the best in that division,” said Zerafa. “And the team and I want to be back overseas where the money and exposure is.”
Now that he has the Commonwealth title in his grasp, Zerafa has been fielding offers from around the globe from boxers and their teams keen to get their hands on the bauble. It is something he is keen to capitalise on.
“My goals for this year would be defending my Commonwealth title in England and getting a shot at the world title,” he said.
For that to happen, he first has to get past Ryan.
JOEL CAMILLERI OUT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT AGAINST YAO YI MA
Popular junior middleweight Joel “CamaKO” Camilleri 14-4-1 (7) will be looking to set the record straight when he takes on Yao Yi Ma 15-3-1 (10) in a rematch of their October draw at the Melbourne Pavilion in Flemington, Victoria on Friday night. The fight will be on the undercard of the Blake Caparello versus Trent Broadhurst bout.
When the two met last year, the 27-year-old from Keilor Downs had to settle for a majority draw against the tough Taiwan-born Sydneysider in an eight round clash for the Victorian state junior middleweight title. While one judge had Camilleri leading 77-75, the other two judges couldn’t split the pair with matching scores of 76-76 apiece.
The fight was a real eye-opener for Camilleri, who was on a five-fight win streak at the time.
“I learned a lot from that fight, especially about myself,” he said this week. “It was a great test and it really showed me how far I could dig deep when I needed to. It taught me that no matter how you are feeling or what you are facing, with a strong mind you can do things you didn’t think were possible at the time. I’m bringing a whole different person to this fight physically and mentally.”
To give himself the edge in the fight Camilleri travelled to the United States with teammate Caparello where they spent a month training and immersing themselves in the American fight culture.
“The States was a great learning experience that I will take a lot away from,” said Camilleri. “Putting myself out of my comfort zone, sparring guys like Ishe Smith, J’Leon Love, Jose Benavidez, Lanell Bellows, Said Ouali and many other great boxers too.
“I learnt a lot about what it takes to get to the top level and the type of commitment I need to have to continue to improve my boxing. I’ll be bringing a different mindset to this fight and also boosted confidence after moving around with these fighters.”
Camilleri, who has been trained by Sam Labruna for the past five years, credits his coach for continuing to develop him as a fighter, particularly his boxing IQ.
“I made the move to Sam in mid-2013 in order to improve my boxing,” he said. “He has helped improve my boxing and taken it to another level. My technique has definitely improved a lot, my intelligence in the ring and he has added a lot to my game.”
Away from boxing Camilleri is a substitute secondary school teacher who is qualified in physical education, psychology and health. He sees the value of learning from experience, something that has helped him to digest and process the four fights he lost early in his pro career.
“I definitely do think my opponents’ teams and trainers underestimate me, which plays into my hands,” he said. “I’ve lost four fights, all which were close fights but ones I know I had more ability than I showed.
“My losses have made me the fighter I am today, so I can’t complain.”
The plan for Camilleri is to get a shot at the national title, currently held by experienced fellow Melbournian Samuel Colomban 25-10-1 (11).
“Once I get through this fight I’d love a shot at the Australian title,” said Camilleri. “This fight is my main focus at the moment, then I’ll put my focus onto winning the Australian title against whoever I need to fight for it.
“My trainer manages my career very well, so I will fight whoever he puts in front of me.”
THE PRESIDENT SALUTES
Rising light heavyweight prospect Reagan “The President” Dessaix 14-1 (10) picked up the vacant IBF International and WBA Oceania titles with a two-round demolition of Ghana’s Peter “Rampage” Ato Ricketts 17-3 (11) at Seagulls Rugby League Club in Tweed Heads, NSW on Saturday night.
Ricketts had no answer to Dessaix’s hand-speed as he was outboxed, outpunched and outsmarted by the lanky power-puncher.
“Words honestly don’t describe the feeling of how I felt waking up this morning,” Dessaix posted on social media on Sunday.
“Last night we came away with a round two KO victory against a tough opponent from Ghana who hadn’t been stopped in 19 starts until last night.”
The quick and stylish Dessaix, who was coming off a fourth round TKO of Japan’s Shintaro Matsumoto in March, was expecting more resistance from the normally durable Ricketts.
“I felt great from the start and caught him flush in round two with a right uppercut,’’ Dessaix told the Albert & Logan News.
“It took two or three seconds and he went backwards. Even when I hit him with the right uppercut, it got me by surprise (that he went to ground).
“I did not know what I had hit him with until the coach told me afterwards. It is the first time I have seen that (such a delay between a blow and an opponent stumbling).
“He came to fight and win and I caught him clean. I felt really good on the night. I took my time and felt him out. I was settled in to pace myself and thought I would have to break him down across the rounds.
“To get him in round two, I was stoked.”
On the undercard super middleweight Kerry Foley 19-3 (16) needed just one round to knockout Gutram Ngoya 11-1 (7) of Tanzania. A lead left hook did the damage, stopped Ngoya dead in his tracks at 0:57 of the opening frame.
It was Foley’s eighth first-round stoppage in his 16 knockout wins and his third in his last four bouts.
JACK BRUBAKER LUCKY TO GET BY TYRONE NURSE ON JOHNNY LEWIS’ BOXING SERIES
Dangerous Sydney puncher “Gelignite” Jack Brubaker 14-2-1 (7) was lucky to get by slick-boxing Englishman Tyrone Nurse 35-3-2 (7) in their 12-round welterweight clash at the Star Casino in Sydney, NSW on Thursday May 24 in the headline fight in the latest instalment of the Johnny Lewis’ Boxing Series.
The 26-year-old from Cronulla won the Commonwealth welterweight title final eliminator by scores of 115-113, 116-112 and 116-112.
The 5-foot-11 Nurse, who usually fights at 140-pounds, was coming off a competitive 12-round unanimous decision loss to rising prospect Jack Catterall 21-0 (12) for the BBBofC junior welterweight title last October.
Brubaker is angling for a second shot at the Commonwealth title held by local rival Kris George, who stopped him on cuts in the sixth round of a close fight last October. At the time of the stoppage Brubaker was leading 48-47 on one card while trailing 47-48 and 46-50 on the other two.
George will be defending his Commonwealth crown against British prospect Josh Kelly in Newcastle, England on June 16 with Brubaker in the box seat to challenge the winner.
Also on the card OPBF welterweight champion Ben Savva 9-1 (3) dominated local rival Kyron Dryden 10-2 (8) winning a comprehensive point decision over 12-rounds.
Savva, who claimed the OPBF title with a fifth round TKO of Thai Natthawut Arunsuk 11-8-1 (7) in his previous bout, successfully defended the title by scores of 119-107, 117-109 and 118-109.
The 30-year-old Sydneysider had Dryden on the canvas courtesy of a body shot in the fourth round and went on to dominate the fight as the rounds progressed. Dryden was also docked point in the ninth for a low blow.
It was an impressive performance by Savva, who boxed with patience and poise throughout the contest. Newcastle’s Dryden, who had only been eight rounds once before the fight, showed great durability to last until the final bell.
Also in action junior middleweight Tim Tszyu 9-0 (7) defended his WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental title with a fourth round TKO of Indonesian Larry Siwu 27-11 (23). Tszyu dominated every round and had Siwu on the canvas in the fourth before the fight was stopped at 0:44 of the round.
TJ DOHENY SECURES AUGUST WORLD TITLE SHOT AGAINST RYOSUKE IWASA IN JAPAN
Hard-hitting southpaw TJ “The Power” Doheny 19-0 (14) has secured a world title shot against IBF super bantamweight champion Ryosuke Iwasa 25-2 (16) in Tokyo, Japan on August 16.
Fellow lefty Iwasa, 28, will be making the second defence of the title he won against Yukinori Oguni in six rounds last September.
The 31-year-old Sydney-based Irishman earned the mandatory contender position with the IBF with his split decision win over Thailand’s Mike Tawatchai last December.
Doheny is managed by Mike Altamura and promoted by Murphys Boxing.
Latest
SecondsOut Weekly Newsletter
Permission Statement
If you accept, we will process your data to fulfil this purpose.
