Grey Lynn-based boxing gymnasium King's Gym staged a fund-raising pro-am promotion at the Auckland Boxing Association's Stadium on Friday July 23rd, writes Johnny Lloyd. The venue was absolutely packed.
Comeback King Gordon Moir 67.1kg, who hadn't fought since 2000, clashed with Jeysson Broncales 63kg, having his first pro fight, in the opening four-rounder. It was a free-swinging affair with veteran Moir just doing that little bit more to take a unanimous decision.
Another former amateur turning pro Kepaoa Kepaoa 84kg bounced around the ring like the proverbial rubber ball in his four-rounder against a dour Phillip Tandy 86.6kg (also making his pro debut).
Between Kepaoa's bouncy bouncy routine which was interspersed with Ali shuffles he suddenly got serious towards the end of the second round and cut loose and caught Tandy in the neutral corner but Phillip deftly fought his way out. Tandy came back well in the third round with straight lefts and rights.
Seemingly indifferent at the start of the fourth round Kepaoa suddenly leapt into life and blasted Tandy with hooks dropping him for the compulsory eight count. Regaining his feet, Tandy found himself hooked into the ropes and onto the ring apron.
Somehow Tandy clambered back into the ring but referee Lance Revill took one look and rightly stopped the fight.
Two veterans (and frequent visitors to Australia) Paz Veijo 70.9kg and Jamie Waru's 69kg first round was straight out of Jimmy Sharman's which was fitting seeing Jamie wore a pair of black tights under his trunks like the old tent fighters used to wear. The pair settled down to produce not a bad fight after an admonishment from the referee. Jamie won a unanimous decision.
The main event between ex-"Australian Contender" Adrian Taihia 78kg and Monty Fauea 79.3 was a rough and ready affair. Ref Lance Revill was kept busy breaking them up and laying down the rules.
Monty kept gesturing to Adrian throughout the fight to "come on in" which may have been a mistake because when Adrian did he landed with solid hooks. In the last round both fighters went berserk and there was genuine bad feeling between these two. But Taihia sealed the bout when he knocked Fauea down for an eight-count with a giant left hook. Although in all fairness to Monty, the knockdown didn't seem to worry him and he carried on as usual on regaining his feet. Adrian took a unanimous decision.
The night before at the same venue Craig Thompson promoted a corporate (called white collar boxing overseas) show with two professional bouts on top. Surprisingly the corporates supplied some good contests while the pro bouts were top class.
Big American Clarence Tillman's left hook landed just that bit faster and harder when he and fellow heavyweight John Argall landed punches simultaneously in the second round. Argall hit the canvas and managed to beat the count but was forced to take a knee for another count before the ref waved the contest off midway through the round.
In a cruiserweight main event Vinnie Mahoni hit the canvas in the first to a solid straight left from American southpaw Jameson Bostic but didn't seem to suffer any damage.
In the fourth and final round he landed a couple of big rights that staggered the Yank. The ringwise American had enough smarts to survive the round and win on points but Mahoni gave him plenty of trouble.
Enough has been spoken and written about the Danny Green-Paul Briggs bout for me to comment on it. But what has been overlooked was the outstanding performances by the two koorie boxers (William Kickett and Matt Garlett) on the undercard. Talking earlier of tent boxers, I remember two good Koorie fighters with Stuart's Touring Stadium_ Johnny Garlett and a bloke called Kickett, I think first name was Jimmy. I wonder if they are related.
In fact I would have backed Johnny Garlett against any middleweight in Australia in a tent fight. Other tent fighters who would have beaten just about any body in the tent (which is alot different to fighting in the ring) were Eugene Eades, Murray Mansell, Greg McNamara and Errol McIvor.
Your correspondent in all modesty wasn't too bad in the tent himself. In fact, I beat a future Australian middleweight champion, a former Australian middleweight champion, an ex- Commonwelath Games rep and a national amateur champion (although in all fairness he beat me in the return) in fair dinkum tent fights.
