Australian Boxing/SM Memorial thread

Best fighter each weight division in Australian boxing (IMO).

For a country that's half a world away from the three major boxing markets in the world (USA, Europe & UK) & that has a population half that of California, we go alright.

H - Justis Huni 3-0 (3) (Honourable mentions to Demsey McKean, Willis Meehan & Joe Goodall)
CR - Jai Opetaia 20-0 (16) (Honourable mention - Jason Whateley)
LH - TBD between Leti Leti, Conor Wallace, Reagan Dessaix, Faris Chevalier & Blake Caparello (I had Wallace & Caparello beating Leti & Chevalier while Caparello's win against Dessaix has also been questioned. Any match between any of these guys is a good one, imo).
SM - Mateo Tapia 13-0 (8) (Honourable mentions to Jayde Mitchell & Rohan Murdock)
M - Michael Zerafa 28-4 (17) (Honourable mention - The Headsplitter)
JM - Timmy Tool Train 18-0 (14) (Honourable mention - Daniel Lewis - if he ever returns)
W - Andrew Hunt 8-0-1 (4)
JW - Liam Paro 20-0 (13) (Honourable mention - Steve Spark)
L - Gorgeous George Kambosos Jr 19-0 (10)
JL - Liam Wilson 9-0 (6) (Honourable mention - Paul Fleming)
Fe - Brock Jarvis 19-0 (17) (The plan for Brock appears to be to thrust him into a world title fight in a weight division he no longer belongs in & without fighting either of the very talented guys above him on this list who could actually prepare him to win a world title if he's good enough to beat them. Hmmmmm.)
JFe - Sam Goodman 8-0 (4) or Bruno Tarimo 26-2-2 (5) (Both fought lightweights last start. Can we get them fights in their own weight division please? I think both are world class right now.)
B - Jason Moloney 21-2 (18)
JB - Andrew Moloney 21-1 (14)

Converting talent into world champions is a problem as we currently don't have one. You can't expect to be competitive at that level if you haven't A - faced some decent international opposition on the way up or B - faced the best available domestic opposition. Preferably both.

 

Andrew Hunt over Steve Spark? Spark looked good last wednesday

 

He did. Not sure who I'd pick if they fought but I've listed Spark at Junior Welter b/c that's his preferred weight division (according to @juppity who has mentioned him several times on this thread).

If Spark fights at Junior Welter next, Darragh Foley would be a good opponent for him. Foley is an Irishman who won what I considered to be the Australian fight of the year last year.

 

He sounded like he went through hell to make the weight and kept failing hydration tests.

From the way he explained it even before the fight had occurred they shouldn't have gone through with it.

He is coming back from major surgery at an advanced age for the fight game..and he has a had a very long career in combat sports.

 

Yep too tough for his own good that parr, will keep getting hurt if he continues, he has a family as well to support, should just rematch choc and take a dive if he needs the cash. Brown style.

His career can do what he pleases though. Tough as guts that bloke.

 

LOL. He clearly took a dive. What planet are you on?

 

Jeff Horn will probably try to face JWP now. Figures he's shot enough not to be a risk. Wouldn't mind that one too much though. If JWP makes weight he might counter Horns illegal tactics with some Muay Thai moves.

 

Careful, Planet Team Browne - I don't think Ip is lying to us and I assume he'd be in on anything shady. Browne's abysmal performance might really only be a combination of the ear drum and being completely shot.

 

[url]https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/big-grandaddy-browne-just-stopped-by-old-ex-rugby-player-in-round-1.666467/#post-21012323[/url]
[url]https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/dave-allen-fixed-fight-press-reports.643934/page-3[/url] second post on this page by @CutThroatFade

Do you seriously see nothing suspicious in any of this? Like Browne said in the head to head with Gallen in the pre-fight show, he's bitter about money. That's all he cares about.

"Next round towel"....

Totally normal thing to say after schooling a journeyman for the first two rounds.

 

Ebanie Bridges pics lads?

 

* The Hornet was suppose to have a $ 2 M payday vs WBA MW Champ Ryota Murata. Isaac Hardman is now at the centre of a potential late yr challenge vs Murata. Hardman has said on his social media account " Next step Japan. " Hardman obviously not ready but if he can get the $1M Zerafa was offered or even half that in those COVID 19 times it could be a too lucrative offer to refuse.

 

I bought the Sunday newspapers yesterday hoping for some decent boxing content. The Daily Astonisher (Tele) had nothing on boxing but a two-page spread on women's MMA. That comes on top of their front page feature on Ebanie Bridges a couple of weeks back. Pathetic stuff from them after a huge month of Australian boxing. Nothing in the Sun Herald either which is par for the course for them. They appear to specialise in sending their readership to sleep & being completely irrelevant.

I did, surprisingly, come across a gem of an article in The Canberra Times (of all places) that shed a bit more light on Brock Jarvis' situation following his fight in Canberra on Friday night. The journo in question had done a great job speaking with Brock's team, including Dean Lonergan.

Apparently they are weighing up whether to take a world title fight at Featherweight against the champ who successfully defended yesterday (I haven't seen that one yet). Their other potential path is to face the likes of Bruno Tarimo, Paul Fleming & Liam Wilson domestically here over the next 12 months at Junior Lightweight.

I guess the second path will be open to them even if they are unsuccessful with the first so it will be interesting to see what they do.

The Headsplitter is another who isn't quite ready for the step up yet but if life-changing money is on the table, of course you take it.

 

Well that's put me firmly in my place. I suppose I chose to ignore all of this because of Browne's legendary feat, also discussed a few pages back. Going from world (albeit secondary) champion via STOPPING CHAGAEV IN GROZNY (the gold standard for balls in boxing) to fight-throwing washed up journeyman within just a few years is sad indeed.

 

Good list I reckon Fleming could beat Wilson and I would love to see Zerafa fight Head splitter.I don't know much about Hunt you reckon he beats Lenny Z?

 

I'd like to see all those Junior Lightweights go at it (including Bruno Tarimo who appears consigned to fighting at that weight) to determine who is best.

I thought Tarimo was getting the better of Paul Fleming when their fight ended prematurely although you need to factor in that Fleming was coming in off a long layoff. I think skills-wise Liam Wilson is the best of the bunch but like Brock Jarvis, I think his chin may be suspect so it all comes down to how they perform on the night. If Fleming lands a big one, he could knock off both Wilson & Jarvis.

I think Andrew Hunt is capable of beating Lenny but I'm not sure he would. Good fight. Hunt is inconsistent in his performances. When he's on, he looks a world beater. When he's not, he's vulnerable. He would need to be 'on' to beat Lenny.

Zerafa v The Headsplitter would be a good one. Zerafa has the skills & experience. The Headsplitter brings natural physical strength, punching power & toughness. I think I'd take Zerafa right now but perhaps not in 12 months.