New Zealand based American heavyweight, Chauncy Welliver, was seriously being touted as an upcoming opponent for Mike Tyson by local sportswriters but any such chances (fact or fiction) would have been derailed on February 24 when he was outpointed on a split decision over six rounds by Elisara Sii Uta at the ABA Stadium. Judges Dennis Reddaway and Logan Bragg voting for Elisara, while Judge Belton voted for Welliver.
Because there was supposedly so much riding on the outcome, pressure came on the sanctioning body, the NZ National Boxing Federation, to reverse the split decision when it was discovered that Judge Reddaway had added his card up wrong.
However, I and the NZNB president later checked all the cards (I was representing the promoters, the Auckland Boxing Association) and found that while Reddaway had awarded the contest to Elisara 59-56: a recheck of his card showed the score should have read 58-56 still to the Samoan. Therefore the decision stood.
A hard fight to score with the South Auckland based Elisara landing the majority of power punches – one even shook and hurt the tough Yank in the fourth round.
Welliver did too much showboating but did look to land the most punches albeit most were landed in ineffectual flurries.
There is no doubt however that is the contest had have been held over a longer distance the colourful Welliver would have won as Elisara sank to the canvas exhausted on the final bell.
In the main support, Ali Aanesi (aka Ali Nizi) 67.4kg had a fourth round knockout win over political activist Ben Nathan 67.1kg. Nathan, fresh out of gaol, didn't have the fitness to handle his opponent (a character not without controversy himself), and when Ali trapped him in the corner in the fourth round, he sank to one knee and couldn't rise before the ten-count.
Big Tongan heavyweight Paulie Lakai 116.7kg impressed in his second pro fight, a rematch with Tevita Vika 114.8kg. Lakai landed a beautiful rip to the liver of Vika just before the bell rang to end the first round. Vika made it to the end of the round but could not continue.
In a semi-pro bout Ben Tupu 88.9kg, a useful amateur ten years ago, scored a TKO win over Paula Tui 87.6kg, when Tui's corner threw in the towel in the third round after he had been grievously belted by Tupu. Ben's brother Jeff Tupu is a well-known boxer in Australia.
Amateur bouts made up the supports and the crowd was about 300.
New Zealand heavyweight champion, Shane Cameron, successfully defended his title when he stopped Aussie-based-Kiwi, Auckland Auimatagi in two rounds at he Feilding Civic Centre on March 4th.
After a quiet opening round, Shane caught Auimatagi with a classic straight left-right cross-left hook combination that floored Auckland. Up at eight, Auimatagi was forced against the ropes while Chapman cut loose with both hands. Referee Lance Revill stepped in and halted proceedings. Auckland, who is a member of a well-known Otahuhu boxing family, complained that the stoppage was premature. "In Aussie we let things go a bit further", he told the audience. And to be fair he did seem to have weathered the worst of Cameron's attack. A stoppage win the Cameron did seem inevitable.
TV3 did delayed coverage of the fight nationwide next night. In the one-hour broadcast they only showed 14m 33s of boxing – the rest of the time was taken up with interviews. Why couldn't they have shown some of the excellent amateur bouts on the undercard?
Big American Chauncy Welliver redeemed himself to local fans when he took a six rounds points decision over Shane Wijohn at the Unitec Stadium Auckland on March 5. Chauncy's original opponent, Daniel Tai, pulled out of the fight with an injury and Wijohn did a good job coming in as a last minute substitute. Shane definitely landed the heavier punches but Welliver's non-stop punching won him the decision.
The undercard featured a four-man three-round heavyweight eliminator.
Former Fijian champion from middleweight to heavyweight, Frank Atu, came from behind to beat Vai Toevai in the first semi-final, then used a long straight-left to outpoint Richard Tutaki in the final.
Tutaki had come into the finals via a points win over ex-Commonwealth contender, Sam Leuii.
Also on the undercard the New Zealand lightweight champion, Santos Pakau, returned after twelve months absence. Weighing in as a full-blown welterweight he stopped Cory Burton in the fourth of a scheduled six-rounder. The punches by both participants didn't look too vicious in the first three rounds – hardly surprising considering the two are closely related. That said the body punch that dropped Burton in the fourth looked a beauty!
Most impressive display of the night came from former amateur champion, Steve Heremaia, making his pro debut. He attacked normally resilient Ali Aanesi in the first round with a two-handed body barrage then landed an overhand right, which dropped Ali near the ropes. Ali regained his feet then walked to the corner signalling, "that's it".
Crowd at this excellent stadium looked about 200. (Thanks to Kenny Ziegler for this report).
