Native American Chauncy Welliver who claims the New Zealand National Boxing Federation heavyweight title won every one of the 12 rounds against Seiaute Mailata of Samoa at the A.B.A. Stadium, Eden Terrace, Auckland on Saturday, October 7th.
At stake was the W.B.O. interim WBO Asia-Pacific heavyweight title. The fight itself never reached any great heights of excitement although for one brief moment in the 11th round, Welliver, not noted as a puncher, wobbled Mailata with a combination of punches.
Chauncy has racked up 9 wins in ten fights since basing himself in Auckland six months ago (that loss was to world-ranked Cuban Odlanier Solis in Berlin). The big American, who weighed 118.3kgs against Mailata's 103.8kgs for this fight will defend his new won title against any fighter in the Pacific region and that includes David Tua or Shane Cameron. Chauncy is now being managed by A.B.A president Tui Gallagher and she can be contacted on 09 3070720.
The main prelim produced one of the most unusual finishes in the A.B.A's 109 year history. In a bout billed for the W.B.O. Asia-Pacific light-heavyweight title, challenger Famasasa Tavui of Samoa, was a mile behind on points coming into the fourth round against Aucklander, Soulan Pownceby, when he landed a big overhand left from his southpaw stance. Ex-Olympian Pownceby hit the deck hard but recovered well to get back on even terms at the bell. Then when the bell rang for the fifth round Tavui actually carried his own towel into the centre of the ring and threw it on the canvas. Ringsiders and officials agreed that that was the first time they had ever seen someone win a 10-8 round then quit.
The opening pro prelim probably carried more action than both the co-features although it only lasted two rounds. Chaucey's mate from Spokane, Washington, Mathew Sweeney (76.1kg), having only his second professional bout stopped debutant Matt Aitken (75.6kg) in the second round. Both came out swinging prepared for a dockyard brawl but Aitken was greatly hampered by wearing a pair of old-fashioned greenhide soul boxing boots and slipped and slid all over the ring. In the second he slipped the wrong way, right into a big hook from Sweeney and the ref had seen enough. Matt is the nephew of former N.Z. light-heavyweight champion of the sixties, Nigel Aitken _ maybe he wore a pair of Nigel's old boots.
In the pick of the amateur undercard, Sam Rapira (81.2kg), a cousin of the rugby league star of the same name, outpointed late sub, Nat Cohen (79.9kg). Both landed good punches in the first two rounds but the Taranaki-based Rapira took charge gradually in the last round and was a worthy winner. Cohen is from Albany on Auckland's North Shore.
A poor crowd of about 200 was in attendance.
Just over a week before (October 29th) at the same venue Chauncy had warmed up with a points win over Toa Nakatoatama. Toa spent the whole six rounds of the bout with his forearms wrapped in front of him "tent-fighter" style while lying passively on the American's chest while Chauncy whaled away at what flesh was available. It was a shocking spectacle and Toa later admitted he'd been working 16-hour days as part of a road crew and hadn't trained.
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Kiwiboxer Dion McNabney scored a huge upset in Vanuatu on Saturday, October 24 when he won the PABA middleweight title from New Caledonia's, Iau Kamisak, by a stoppage, his first win in his last 10 starts.
McNabney, who was given no chance of victory went out with all guns blazing in a "do or die" effort and had to be dragged off Kamisak by the referee in the fourth round. The crowd of over 7,000 at Port Vila's Parliament Park were stunned and McNabney and his handlers had to be hastily ushered from the arena.
In the main event Vanuatu boxer, Karli Jacobus (well known to Aussie and Kiwi fight fans) stooped Thailand's Plaiskada Sirwancha in the second round for something called the Universal Boxing Organisation's world super-middleweight title.
