Australian Boxing/SM Memorial thread

Very interested in hearing who the next opponents are for Horndog & Junior Tszyu.

Seeing Dwight Ritchie & Jamie Weetch mentioned is a reminder that there's more fighters in this country than just Michael Zerafa & Anthony Mundine for Tszyu to face if he wants to develop his skills.

The best professional Tszyu has faced is Wade Ryan who pushed him hard. Weetch has beaten Wade Ryan & pushed Dennis Hogan hard in the first 4 rounds of their recent fight. Hogan is about to fight for a world title.

So the idea that there's no-one else for Tszyu to face in Australia is nonsense. Tszyu needs those intermediate level fights or he's going to be in for a very unpleasant surprise when he does step up.

On Dennis Hogan, I'm really looking forward to his title challenge against Mexican Mungo. He has embraced both his Irish heritage & his Australian home in the lead-up which I really like. That's how Kostya Tszyu & Vic Darchinyan used to do it.

While I think Mexican Mungo is one of the best young world champions out there, I really like the way Hogan has prepared for his title challenge.

Firstly, he's been active & facing decent opposition. I mentioned that Jamie Weetch pushed him hard early which I think is a good thing.

Secondly, no doubt he's had good sparring. When he was interviewed for tv he had one black eye. When he flew out, he had two. Jeff Horn has been one sparring partner. Don't know who the others have been but Rohan Murdoch also comes under the same promotional banner.

Thirdly, I like the fact that Hogan has gone over to Los Angeles three weeks before the fight. That gives him a couple of weeks of additional sparring (doesn't need to be heavy stuff) & time to acclimatize & freshen up a bit.

In terms of what's within his control, I think Hogan has got everything right.

 

If Tszyu wants to clean house in Australia I think it will be incredibly beneficial for him as a fighter.
However if you are managing him and want to squeeze some dollars out of the Tszyu name then you probably don't want him to do that. Because he will likely lose one of those bouts...which I don't see as a big issue given his age and the fact he is a relative novice.

 

Would there be any appetite for Zab Judah fight at 154 for Timothy?

They could sell to the backslappers bogans better than steel cap ugg boots.

 

Yeah true to today , Tim Tszyu still hasn't showed really anything . He really needs to step up in class , cee how good Tim is or isn't .. My Best Wishes for Hogan's next fight . For if he wins as Well .

 

LOL the bogan backslappers would absolutely gobble that up. I wouldn't count old Zab out in that fight.

 

Bogans everywhere are waiting for Danny Green to call him out.

 

* Michael Zerafa is fighting Fri April 12 on Sam Soliman farewell fight night.
* Liam Wilson has vacated Aust 130 lb Title. Brent Rice who he beat for the title is now at 135 lbs.
* Looks like Dennis Hogan fight will not be on Fox as Epicentre TV has it advertised for April 14 . 11 am AEDT to 2.30 pm for $ 19.95.
* Kiwi David Light talks about his fight with Bam Bam and a future fight with Jai Opetia.

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We've got a few young blokes with only a handful of fights who are worth following. I saw two of them on the weekend in Daniel Lewis 1-0 (1) & Jason Whateley 3-0 (2). Liam Wilson 3-0 (2) is another. All worth taking a look at if you get a chance. I'd rate all three of them in the top 15 Australian professionals right now. That's how good they are.

The last time I used Epicentre there was a problem getting to the payment screen & I couldn't watch the show. It's the only time I've had an issue with them so hopefully they are aware of it & it's sorted in time for Dennis Hogan's fight. I'd prefer to watch on tv but Epicentre is the platform that has supported the DDP shows.

Good interview with the Kiwi cruiser David Light. He's obviously an intelligent guy. He also seems more than willing to take on Jai Opetaia if he gets past Mark Flanagan. I can't see any reason why Opetaia wouldn't be willing to travel to NZ to do that fight. The only concern Opetaia would have is that he hasn't fought since mid-last year.

Usyk is about to start dropping straps so it's time to make a move. Light goes to no.1 in the region at cruiser if he beats Flanagan. Opetaia should forget about Europe & take that fight if it gets offered to him. Prove you're the best in this region before looking for fights elsewhere. And then pay Mark Flanagan a decent amount of money & fight him as well.

Flanagan & Light should be Opetaia's next two fights. In whichever order they can be arranged. He's wasted 9 months chasing that fight in Europe.

 

You have to add another fighter to your list in HW Joe Goodall. He was active last yr and has no opponents TBA but i believe he is like Liam Wilson a decorated AM and ready made Pro and at this moment he could win the Aust HW Title from Demsey Mckean just like Liam Wilson won the LW Title early in his career. They will let this one build up and it will be a all QLD clash Gold Coast vs Ipswich.
Another to watch out for is LHW Isaac Hardman who has won all 4 pro fights by ko and won last Fri and he stopped in 90 sec Lucas Miller in his pro debut who last week upset big punching Big Country Mitchell Clark over 8 rds MD.
* Will Tomlinson ( Wild Fighter Promotion ) first card was a success and Will is putting together a second fight night for June 1.
* Aust female boxing squad is in the USA at the moment for a two week training camp alongside the USA squad.

 

I've got the three young heavies - Joe Goodall, Willis Meehan & Demsey McKean - in a class of their own. Plenty of potential there but I'm not sure they are quite as talented as the other three I've mentioned. With medals in both the World Amateur Championships & 2014 Commonwealth games (where he beat Efe Ajagba), Goodall has the best amateur credentials of any of the them but he did miss out to Jason Whateley on the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth games spot. Goodall & Meehan make my top 20 best Australian fighters to watch.

Using achievement & potential as the criteria, I'd currently rate our best pro fighters like this:

1. TJ Doheny 21-0 (15) - Current IBF Jr Feather champ. Attempts to unify against the WBA champ next up (27 April Australian time).
2. Andrew Moloney 19-0 (12) - Next WBA Jr Bantam mandatory. Two kayo wins from his last two starts against world class opposition.
3. Jeff Horn 19-1-1 (13) - Former WBO Welter champ. Needs a meaningful fight & some rounds under his belt before a title tilt.
4. Dennis Hogan 28-1-1 (7) - Current WBO Jr Middle mandatory. Challenges Mexican Mungo on 14 April (Australian time)
5. Jason Moloney 17-1 (14) - Former IBF Bantam world title challenger (dropped a split decision). Fights tomorrow night.

6. George Kambosos Jr 16-0 (9)
7. Jai Opetaia 16-0 (13)
8. Tim Tszyu 12-0 (10)
9. Bilal Akkawy 20-0-1 (16)
10. Rohan Murdock 24-1 (17)

11. Liam Paro 16-0 (11)
12. Damien Hooper 14-1 (9)
13. Paul Fleming 26-0 (17)
14. Liam Wilson 3-0 (2)
15. Daniel Lewis 1-0 (1)

16. Jason Whateley 3-0 (2)
17. Joe Goodall 5-0 (4)
18. Willis Meehan 8-0 (7)
19. Nathaniel May 20-1 (11)
20. Brock Jarvis 16-0 (15)

The top 5 have all reached the pointy end of the sport. The rest are works in progress.

Plenty of other talented fighters not mentioned, but this is how I see it.

 

Zab was the Tszyu kid's fathers best win in his overrated career.

 

You can't do much better than become undisputed champ, Franga. You're setting a high bar if you're not prepared to give recognition to someone who reached the pinnacle of the sport.

Tszyu lost a grand total of one fight between 1989 (when he lost to the 1988 Olympic gold medalist Andreas Zulow in the 1989 World Amateur Championships) and 2005 (when he lost to Ricky Hatton fighting in his opponent's backyard).

That's one loss in 16 years while facing the best amateurs & pros in the world - often on the other side of the world to where he was based.

In that time, he managed to win the 1991 World Amateur Championship at 139lbs and all of the professional championships at 140lbs (including the IBF title twice).

The only thing his pro career lacked was that one big win against a prime Shane Mosley or Oscar or Floyd Mayweather.

He'll have to settle for the win against Vernon Forrest for the World Amateur championship & the win against an undefeated Zab for the undisputed professional championship.

 

Solid list but pardon me Joe Goodall was a SHW and missed a spot at the Gold Coast CMW Games losing to Toese Vousiutu in the trials. Joe said mental fatigue played a factor and last yr he had 5 pro fights in 8 mths and now has taken a break to recharge his batteries.
Daniel Lewis has talent but would like to see him more before rating him.
* Results from Sat Night cards.
Jason Maloney tko 5 Cris Paulino.
Billlel Dib tko 8 Rey Juntilla.
Michael Zerafa on chasing his dream of winning a world title.
https://www.exclusiveinsight.com/michael-zerafa-the-last-thing-mum-wanted-to-hear/
Next Fri.

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Hope this is the start of something. For the first time DAZN is teaming up with a Aust streaming network (Epicentre) for Dennis Hogan world title fight and lets hope its not the last .

 

* Tim Tszyu has rejected an offer from Top Rank and has signed a deal with No Limit Boxing and will headline his first PPV show in May.
Tszyu " My promoter Matt Rose has come up with a platform where i can fight in front of Aust , there were opportunities to go overseas but when we weighed it all up we decided to go with No Limit Boxing because there are fight's in Aust to be made . "
Main Event Boxing Manager Ben Damon " In the short term a bout with former CMW Champ Michael Zerafa is a no brainer with down the track Tszyu vs Horn could be enormous."
Matt Rose also promoted Paul Gallen fight in Feb and promotes Damien Hooper.

 

Really pleased to hear that news. I think staying in Australia & building a career from here is the right move for Junior Tszyu.

He does need to start facing higher quality opponents & the PPV money will enable that to occur. And as we've mentioned several times on this thread, there are a number of guys in this region who would be worthwhile facing. Michael Zerafa & Jeff Horn are mentioned & they're terrific opponents. Zerafa this year & Horndog next. But let's also not forget the likes of Dwight Ritchie, Bowyn Morgan, Dennis Hogan & Jamie Weetch. Even an Australian title challenge against Joel Camilleri would be a step up from what he's been facing. Every one of those guys would be a good opponent for Tszyu & poses a genuine threat. None of them are pushovers.

It would be silly to relocate overseas to progress his career when all of those guys are on Tszyu's doorstep.

I also think Tszyu needs some fights against well credentialed international opponents. I think he needs at least one tough 10-rounder before taking on Zerafa. The guys I've mentioned in the past are Wale Omotoso & Ray Robinson, both of whom are familiar with Australia. The latter fights today against another talented unbeaten prospect in the US. Those are the type of fights Tszyu needs & that hopefully PPV money will be able to deliver.

I hope some of the other very talented young fighters in this country are given opportunities to fight on Tszyu undercards. It would be good to see someone like Jai Opetaia in with the likes of Mark Flanagan or Blake Caparello.

It all costs money of course but I'm glad to see Main Event making an investment in Tim the Toolman. Look forward to following his progress.