Boxing

 

MUNDINE OUTPOINTS SULLIVAN!

by Tony Nobbs

01.02 - WBA number two Super Middleweight contender Anthony Mundine won a tougher than necessary twelve round unanimous decision over local favorite Sean Sullivan at the ASB Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand tonight. Tremendous pressure throughout by veteran Sullivan forced Mundine on the back foot and at times, the 27 year old Australian looked uncomfortable and scrappy against the ropes where he spent much of the fight.

Mundine had the edge in the opening half of the bout with better boxing and faster hands and it looked as if the plan was to simply box along and get twelve much needed rounds, but Sullivan's consistency paid off in the final rounds as, with an ever increasing spring in his step, he chased Mundine who was smothered with punches while offering an occasional but flashy reply.

Mundine took a short rest after being hit low in the fourth and Sullivan was deducted a point in the ninth for pushing down on Mundine, who was pushed through the ropes at different times. In the tenth, Mundine got back into the ring and smiled but it was no laughing matter as he was outworked over the final six minutes. Mundine landed some nice right hands at different times which momentarily knocked stunned Sullivan to the side. It was these punches and rare bursts that allowed Mundine to win some rounds that were very close. In all, it was a similar fight to Mundine's split decision win over Sam Soliman in September 2001. But unlike in the Soliman fight, where he used a tight cross arm defense and counter pumched more, Mundine looked surprisingly inexperienced as Sullivan simply threw punches, punches, and more punches.

With a shot at the vacant WBA Title looming against hard punching # 1 rated Antwun Echols, this fight served a purpose of getting rounds, but young Anthony will have to improve and get back to boxing on the front foot in center ring, with his hands up if he is a chance to take the Title. Tonight he allowed a 34 year old fighter who has been shut out against lesser rated opponents win five rounds on Eastside's unofficial card. But credit must go to Sean Sullivan, who, if he had serious power would be a contender, for making Mundine fight a kind of fight he had not before.
Official scores read in center ring were 116-112, 118-108, 120-109. Mundine is due to fight at Carara Stadium in Queensland, Australia on March 15.

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