The biggest crowd to ever jam into the Auckland Boxing Association’s stadium (over 300 turned away at the door) was on hand to witness the return match between Guillermo “Pantera” Mosquera and David Wiremu for Mosquera’s New Zealand junior-welterweight title. The bout ended in an exact replica of the first contest. In the third round their foreheads clashed and they both reeled back. Wiremu with a gash in the middle of his forehead and Guillermo with a deep cut along his eyebrow.
The ABA’s doctor, Dave Renata, indicated that Mosquera’s cut was near a nerve and called the fight off. It was ruled a draw under the New Zealand National Boxing Federation rules by their president and referee Gary McCrystal.
It is pointless Wiremu and Pantera meeting for a third time as their styles do not blend, one fighting with his head forward while the other brings his head around when he throws his left, meaning a clash of heads is always likely.
Both weighed in at 63.4kg.
The sensation of the night was an unexpected first-round stoppage of Gareth Jenkins (69kg) by awkward NZ-based Aussie Paz Viejo (69.8kg). Paz, who will fight any opponent, caught Jenkins with a perfect left hook, then knocked him down again with a swinging right, and when Jenkins arose flattened him again with a straight left. The ref called it off without applying a count.
Another sensational first-round knockout came from local neighbourhood former league player, Adrian Taihia (74kg), in his pro debut against Damon Johnston (75.8kg). Taihia came out throwing bombs and dropped Johnston three times before the referee called it off.
The main undercard between Fili Mailata (70.9kg) and Jamie Waru (71.8kg) was a gruelling but unspectacular four rounder won by the straighter punching Mailata.
Amateur results from the undercard:- A. Mataio (Manurewa) 55.5kg win points A. Whalley (Te Awamutu) 56.5kg; C. Miraldi (Rotorua) 56.2kg w rsc rd 2 (injury) F Kashida (Alabany) 57kg; J.Encomendero (King’s Gym) 67kg w pts C. Green (Otorohonga) 69.3kg; J. Stacey (King’s) 74.5kg w pts B Vili (Manurewa) 80.7kg; N. Chohen (Eagle Gym) 83.2kg w pts K. Kepaoa (King’s) 85kg; A. Matajo (Manurewa) 55.5kg w pts B. Paul (Christchurch) 56.9kg (Mataio fought twice); R. Murphy (ABA Schuster) 66.3kg w C. Milne (Northside) 68.7kg on retirement rd 3; I. Peach (City Boxing) 76.2kg w pts R. Berridge (Northside) 74.6kg; T. Whalley (Te Awamutu) 73.7kg w pts N. Charalampous (Northside) 74kg; Z.Z. Wallace (Te Awamutu) 81.6kg w pts L. Searle (Christchurch) 81.1kg.
I’ve only just learnt of the death of two Australian boxing identities who I knew well.
Ron Isherwood died in December at the age of 77. Ron boxed under the name of Ron James and sometimes Ron Lee. Ron, who I believe was originally from Swan Hill, boxed in Melbourne in the 50’s and also fought regularly in country centres, many of them not listed in record books. I do know he once out-pointed tough main-event fighter Graham Moffatt in South Australia. I worked on the docks with Ron.
Kimpo Amarfio passed away in Melbourne aged 72. Kimpo, from Ghana, was a top class importation who crossed gloves with Gilberto Biondi, Arthur Thomas, Dion Murphy, Terry Ball and Toro George. I appeared with Kimpo in Harry Paulsen’s Touring Stadium.
Condolences to family and friends.
