By Tony Nobbs

17.08 - In a fierce contest fought in good sportmanship, local favourite Ricky Thornberry captured the WBA-Fedelatin Super Middleweight Belt with a unanimous 12 round decision over fellow veteran Ramon Britez from Argentina at the Ipswich Basketball Stadium in Queensland last night. The win also sets up a unification bout with PABA Champion Anthony Mundine, rated #10 by the WBA, with the winner likely to fight for the World Title held currently by the Don King promoted Alabama Bomber Byron Mitchell early next year.

"Tonight was a good hard twelve rounds.I knew it would be, he is a very tough man. The atmosphere here is great and this Title is what I need to get Anthony Mundine. Tony Snr is here tonight, thanks for coming Tony. I hope to fight Anthony this year with the winner going to number one and on to the World Title" said a pleased but tired looking new champ who hails from the country town of Gatton, little more than "a stones throw away" from Ipswich. Thornberry (34 years old record 27-4, 12 ko) appeared to struggle with the awkwardness of the wild swinging 36 year old southpaw Britez (33-15-1, 23 ko) and looked in bother a couple of times, but it was the cleaner punching by the always gutsy Australian that caught the judges eyes. Thornberry worked the body well and had success with the straight right hand followed by left hooks and occasional combinations. Both fighters landed some heavy shots in most rounds and the sixth was excellent but the best action came over the final two. At the final bell neither man had anything left in the petrol tank and the crowd of around 1200 gave a well deserved standing ovation.

A chopping right stunned Britez early in the fifth and Thornberry went looking for the finish only to once again have his rival come back stronger than ever, knocking Ricky into the ropes off balance at the bell and the non stop pace continued in the next stanza. Britez was also wobbled in the
eleventh but not only survived, landed some hard shots of his own. Round twelve was exactly what a last round should be. Thornbery came right in on the limit of 76.2 KG and Britez weighed 76.15 KG.
The judges scores were, Adrian Cairns 116-114, Cyril Cairns 116-112 and Derek Milham 117-113.
Referee Brad Vocale did a good job allowing the fight to take its natural course with out much interruption.

Trainer-manager and brother Noel Thornberry, also the promoter of this fight commented "We are very happy getting twelve rounds and some regular fights, something that has avaded Ricky a lot during his 17 year career. We want to officially challenge Anthony Mundine, lets get the best two Super Middleweights in Australia in the ring together. Let's hope Anthony has the internal fortitude his dad showed when he was a great Champion and fights Ricky. We've been chasing Anthony for quite a while but he's been fairly allusive".

Expect Mundine-Thornberry in October at the Carrara Indoor Stadium on the beautiful Gold Coast, Queensland,providing Anthony gets past South African Soon Botes on September 2, which he should.

Undercard: Danny Buzza W4 UD Vasa Aparu, Heavyweights Geoff Kanofski W6 UD Paul Lepai, Super Middleweights Ty Allen TKO 4 Ryan McInonie, Welterweights. Former IBF Lightweight Champion Philip Holiday, now campaigning at Welterweight boxed an entertaining four round exhilbition with nationally ranked Middleweight Les Crowe.