TSZYU RETAINS SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT BELTS!

By Tony Nobbs

19.01 - In a highly entertaining and competitive fight, Kostya Tszyu (30-1-1 ND, 22 KO) retained his "Undisputed" Super Lightweight World Title with a hard fought TKO when challenger Jesse James Leija (43-6-2-1 NC, 17 KO) was retired by his father James Snr due to a suspected broken eardrum at the end of the sixth round in front of over 30,000 vocal fans at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne today.

After shading the first stanza, Tszyu, 33, was outworked over the next six minutes by the 36 year old Texan who was obviously inspired by the little chance most experts had given in the lead up. The one time WBC Super Featherwight Champion looked good while moving forward behind combinations and he had success with the right hand. He also showed an experienced defense,rolling and smothering and making a cautious Tszyu miss. Leija was not only more busy, he was boxing well and had quicker hands. At least early.

Leija, rated #4 by the WBC going in, began to slow in the fourth as Kostya began to get his range and went back to his corner at the end of the round with a cut near his right eye. By the end of the fifth, a bigger and stronger Tszyu was in command, coming in behind an effective jab and landing solid shots with both hands. The sixth saw the Australian favorite dominate and it was obvious James was feeling the heat, and he was also cut badly over the right eye late in the round.

After the sixth, judge Stanley Christodolou (South Africa) scored the bout 58-56, Anneeka Williams (Australia) had it 59-55 while Thailand's Noparat Sricharion, who replaced Hawaiian Chuck Williams gave Tszyu every round for a 60-54 card. Eastside scored it 58-56 in Tszyu's favor, giving Leija rounds two and three. Leija was warned often by experienced Australian referee Malcolm Bulner for
going south.

In the main support, 29 year old 2000 Olympic Gold Medallist Muhummad Abdullaev (11-0, 9 KO) punched to hard for former IBF Lightweight Champion Philip Hoilday (38-6-1, 22 KO), registering a fourth round TKO to win the vacant WBO Intercontinental 140 lb Title. Hoilday, 32, was caught early, getting dropped twice in round one. He was again down in round two with referee Malcolm Bulner ruling it a slip. Holiday, who weighed five ½ pounds over the limit on Saturday, gamely tried to rally back in round three but in the closing seconds a savage uppercut followed by two right hands had him in real trouble at the bell. A big right hand dropped him in the fourth and Bulner rightfully waved it off at the 55 second mark as he got to his feet. It was a very impressive performance by Abdullaev against his first name opponent and he is definitely one to watch in the talent laden division.

WBC number eight Lt Heavyweight Champion Paul Briggs took his record to 19-1, 16 KO, when he stopped overmatched American Brad McNeil (13-3-2, 9 KO)at 2 min 29 of the first round. Briggs dropped Mc Neil at the forty five second mark with a sharp lead right and the finish came when Mc Neil took another knee in a neutral corner after a barrage set up by a right hand. Mc Neil protested the stoppage by referee John Mc Cubbin but he was only going one place.

The IBF's number eleven Super Middleweight Danny Green (14-0, 14 KO) stopped fellow Aussie Brad Mayo (15-9, 4 KO) at 2 min 33 of the first round. Mayo was allowed to go ten rounds by current WBA #2 Anthony Mundine in his last outing in March. He was in no such luck today, with an improving Green backing him up and dropping him with a lead left hook from range. The punch landed on the forehead and Mayo jigged before falling. Mayo beat the count but his corner skied the towel after Malcolm Bulner let it continue.

Tremendous body shots set up a knockout victory for WBC number three Super Bantamweight Nedal "Skinny" Hussein (28-1,15 KO) over Indonesia's Samson Elnino in the third round. The end was a from a savage left and a distressed Elnino stayed down for quite some time.

Kunu Toygonbayev (19-1, 13 KO), Uzbekistan's WBO # 8 at 154 lb, stopped Panama's Alfonzo Mosquera (15-4-6 KO) in round seven. Toygonbayev won every round, scoring a knockdown with a left hook at the very beginning of round two and a right hand ended it at the start of the seventh after the Panamanian was in considerable trouble in the closing stages of the sixth. Mosquera was rocked often throughout but also had his moments (usually late in the rounds) and showed courage in making some rounds competitive. Tszyu's Guyanan stablemate Gairy St Claire, rated #15 by the IBF at 130 lb overwhelmed Indonesian Reo Saragih recording a first round TKO to take his record to 25-3-2 with 12 KO in the show opener.