Promoter Ofisa Vili switched his base of fight promotions on April 23rd from his usual South Auckland venue, Manurewa, into the Auckland Boxing Association's headquarters in Eden Terrace (once described by a visiting Aussie as NZ's Leichardt Stadium).
A packed house saw Soulan Pownceby in action against journeyman Ioane Taulamago over four rounds of a cruiserweight contest. Ioane's southpaw style took awhile for Soul to sort out but once he did it was one-way traffic. A sustained attack by Pownceby in the third round round saw referee John Conway having a close look at Ioane but in the fourth round realising he wasn't going to knock the tough Samoan out, Soulan settled down and boxed his way to an easy points victory.
Much closer was the light-heavyweight semi-windup between up-and-coming Adrian Taihia and former Oceania Games medallist Fale Siaola. Fast starting Taihia knocked Siaola down in round one with a sharp right hand. Fortunately for Fale it was just before the bell and he had a minute to recover. The Samoan then gave Taihia plenty of problems over the next two rounds, placing a right hand over his leads and turning him around in the clinches. In the fourth the younger Adrian finished the stronger to take a split decision.
Former amateur Robert Berridge had a quick look at debutant Roidan Lee in a supermiddleweight contest scheduled for four rounds and after 1m 25s cut loose with both hands knocking Lee to the canvas. The referee took a look and didn't bother to count.
US light-heavyweight Jameson Bostic gave away weight to local heavyweight Daniel Tai at the Headhunters Gym in Marua Road on May 2. Wisely Bostic would not stand and trade with the powerful Tai but frustrated him with a good but not particularly hard jab and stayed on the back foot to outpoint him over four rounds. Tai and his supporters verbally disagreed with the decision.
Transplanted Brooklyn boxer Jameson Bostic backed up the ABA Stadium six days later on May 8, and had no trouble outpointing Samoan heavyweight, Junior Patti, over eight rounds. Bostic danced around Junior landing jabs at will on his ever advancing opponent but never once hurt his frustrated opposition.
I worry whenever I see a particpant in a professional boxing match enter the ring wearing tracksuit pants and sandshoes. My fears were well founded at the ABA Stadium, May 21, when cruiserweight Ivan Iouta stepped into the ring in such attire. His opponent Winston Helu obviously thought the same. He came out at the bell smacked Ivan with a big right hand and it was all over in 59s. Enough said.
The ABA was again the venue for a pro-am tournament on May 28. Soulan Pownceby fought a return with Ioane Taulamago on top of the bill while an AIS Invitation Team vs NZ Selection made up the amateur undercard.
Former amateur champion and Oceania gold medallist Pownceby improved on his previous fight with Ioane, hitting him repeatedly with a range of punches including hard left hooks that eventually ruptured his right eardrum. After an inspection by ring doctor, Dave Renata, the fight was called off at the start of the fourth round. Cruiserweights.
Pick of the Aussie amateurs was Michael Sacco, son of former Victorian pro welterweight champion Johnny Sacco. Sacco (79.5) lost a disputed decision to Te Awamutu's Kyle Merryweather (79.8kg) in a good fight but reversed the decision two days later in Merryweather's home town.
A mixed night of boxing and Thai boxing took place at the Coral Reef restaurant in downtown Auckland on May 20. TV and radio boxing and kickboxing commentator Mike Angove backed up his words by climbing into the ring and taking on experienced opponent Fale Siaola over four rounds. As a ringside judge I had Mike winning by one point and as I later found out, so did the other two judges. No weights were given but Mike looked to have a considerable advantage but nevertheless it was a good performance from the media man. Hard to imagine former TV7 or TV9's comments men, Ron and Won Casey, climbing into the ring although to be fair they had age on Mike.
In the other pro bout, experienced Christine Tai took on Bronwyn Wylie in a lightwelterweight contest. Wylie a martial arts expert was having her first boxing match. She impressed the boxing fans by varying punches to the head and body to win a slim points decision over four rounds.
Regan Foley a former world-rated amateur lightheavyweight and unbeaten pro, made a comeback to the fight game at the Lagoon Stadium, Panmure, on April 6, after nearly ten years out of the ring. Not surprisingly, he looked a little ring rusty in the first round against fellow cruiserweight Atailli Fai, but once he got his timing back in the second round it was all over. Backing his opponent up against the ropes he let go a copybook left-hook and down went Fai. Regaining his feet Fai was knocked over again by a two-handed flurry and referee Fayez Khan waved it off without counting.
Soulan Pownceby kept busy taking on Moses Ioelu in a scheduled cruiserweight six rounder. Despite landing a beautiful six-punch combination earlier in the second round Soulan couldn't deck the Samoan. Ioelu retired with a hand injury near rounds end. Dr Dave Renata later confirmed he had fractured a finger.
Robert Berridge had his second pro fight at the supermiddleweight division against veteran Jamie Waru in the only other professional bout on the bill. Berridge drove Waru into a corner in the first round and dropped him with a left uppercut. In the second he caught Waru in exactly the same spot and felled him for the count with a savage one-two. Waru was down for several minutes.
The night before (April 5th) at the ABA Stadium Steven Heremaia (71kg) dropped Ionatana Puna (69.3kg) once in each of the first three rounds before Puna's corner threw in the towel. The referee ruled the first-round knockdown a slip but most ringside observers thought it a fair knockdown. Former middleweight champion and now trainer (not of Steve, may I add) Marty Sullivan reckons Heremaia is the most exciting prospect in NZ bar none.
Sorry to report on the death in Spain of former boxing trainer Paul Wallbank. Paul who learnt the fight game at the old Maritime Gym in downtown Auckland, had been working as a fitness trainer for BMW Oracle but was recently laid off with 19 others. Despite that he remained optimistic and was planning on opening a gym in Valencia. Paul was one of the best men I've seen on the pads and loved boxing. He also played golf off single figures.
