STING AND PATERSON WIN AT SOUTHPORT!
By Tony Nobbs
08.02 - IBF number 15 Bantamweight Nathan "The Real Thing" Sting scored an easy six round TKO over limited but game Fijian Binnu Ravinda Singh at the Southport RSL, on the Gold Coast, Queensland on Friday night. The bout was on a five fight undercard to the Simon Paterson - Paul Smallman IBF Pan Pacific Cruiserweight Title fight on a Jamie Myer Foxsport promotion shown live throughout Australia.
Sting (24-6-1, 11 KO) utilized his superior hand-foot speed and boxing skill and constantly worked the body of his 5'9 opponent. After a two handed attack to the ribs in the second heat, Singh went down in a neutral corner, springing up at the count of eight, just as the bell rang. He battled through to the sixth, but Sting was always dominant and obviously looking for some quality air time, finishing with style as the visitor fell to the canvas after another body assault, with referee Cyril Cairns waving it off. Singh landed an occasional right uppercut on the three time Australian Champion but for the most part was under pressure and getting hit with punches from angles he had never seen before. Arriving on Tuesday seven pounds over the agreed weigh of 122lb, Singh was every bit of that and more by fight time after scaling 122.52 lb on Thursday night. Nathan 29, weighed 121 lb with trainer Les Wilson claiming he "had to bring Nathan up". The 31 year old Binnu, who went twelve rounds in losing a split decision to Junior Farzan Ali(14-2, 9 KO) in July for the Fiji Super Bantamweight Title has a listed record of just 2-5-2, 1 KO but claimed to have a 13-5-1 slate with 3 KO.
Later in the night Angelo Hyder, the hard working match maker for the Team Fenech Stable issued a challenge on behalf of Armenian Olympian and IBF Pan Pacific Flyweight Champion Victor Darchinian (15-0, 12 KO) for Sting to fight on the undercard to Danny Green- Jorge Sclarandi in Western Australia on March 15.
An annoyed Sting told Eastside "They are full of it. Anyone who thinks I'm scared to fight Darchinian are crazy. I've fought genuine world class fighters in their hometowns all over the world. They don't really want to fight me, otherwise they'd pay me what I'm worth. They are just drumming publicity for him. Anyway, I have an offer overseas for much more money than I'm getting offered to fight Darchinian. If they seriously want to test him, why don't they bring out Dimitri Kirilov (WBC #2at 115 lb) , who I got robbed against in England two years ago. If he can beat Kirilov, then he might do alright with me".
In the main event of the night Simon Paterson (9-3, 4 KO) captured the IBF regional Belt at 190 lb by stopping warhorse Paul Smallman (23-19-1, 14 KO)at 38 seconds of round twelve. In a grueling and sometimes rough house fight, Paterson gradually wore down the dangerous Smallman, hurting him in the eleventh, only moments after being tagged big himself, and was opening up when referee Phil Austin called a halt with Paul trapped in his own corner. Paterson won the Australian Title in his last appearance, by unanimous decision over Jamie Wallace at this same venue on December 6 and he was very impressive tonight. He boxes very well and has a good left jab but proved in this win that he also can mix it in close. Paterson, trained by Bruce Farthing in Sydney is scheduled to defend this belt against fellow Sydneysider, the come-backing Glenn Kelly on the Paul Briggs- Jorge Castro card at nearby Carrara on April 13. Smallman has been inked in to fight Australian Lt Heavy Champion Jason Delisle on that same program. Smallman outpointed Delisle in an eight rounder in September.
Australian Heavyweight Champion Bob Mirovic, 272 lb, retained his Title when Phil Gregory, 221 lb, retired in his corner with a hand injury. In a battle of veteran's Gregory, 39, opened up in style edging the first two rounds by boxing and landed some quality shots to the head and body. At the end of round two, Mirovic,36, was on the end of a grilling from trainer Angelo Hyder and he came out in the third with aggression, scoring a knockdown with a clubbing right hand. Phil came back with a flush left hand as he stepped wide in to a southpaw stance but by the end of the third his petrol tank was very low and with a legitimate injury informed referee Derek Milham he was not going to continue. Mirovic (17-10, 9 K0) is set to fight Jimmy Thunder (35-14, 28 KO) on March 7. Gregory, a former OPBF Cruiserweight Champion is now 17-15-2 with 6 KO's and entered the ring rated # 9 in Australia.
In a fast paced battle of reigning Queensland Champions, Super Middleweight Juarne Dowling (7-1,3 KO) won a unanimous eight round decision over Lt. Heavyweight Jeff Tupu (5-8-1, 5 KO). All three judges carding 78075. Dowling touched down after getting caught with an apparent right hand in round two (ref Cyril Cairns ruled no knockdown) but came back to control the action by staying wide and moving. He put together some crisp combiations generally finishing with a left hook and was given sound advice throughout by trainers Tony Sims and Vince Perry. In the final round both boys stood toe to toe. Dowling is a good prospect, his only defeat being a controversial spilt nod over six rounds to Australian Middleweight Champ Ian Mcleod last March 4. The 23 year old is rated # 4 in the National listings. Tupu, 31, is expected to retire.
Queensland Welterweight Champion Paul Tapley (3-2-1,2 KO) defeated Fijian Wahid Khan (6-4-4, 4 KO) when referee stopped the action at the bell ending round four. The wild swinging 27 year old Khan rocked Tapley,26, on a few occasions but in the end the improving old Coaster was too polished and fit. Some telling body shots slowed Khan down and he was not punching back at the end. Time of stoppage, 2 min. 59 ½ seconds of round four. Khan suffered also from an inadeqate mouthgurd. Tapley was cut over right eye in the second and this was a good win for Paul who may next face former Queensland Welter Champ Simon Noble in his next bout. Noble, scaling 151.25 lb won a unanimous four round decision over Joe Salqvist, 145.25 lb in the show opener. Noble, 28, goes to 6-0-2, 1 KO while Salqvist ,32, slips to 2-4-1, 1 KO. Salqvist was dropped by a right in round one. Scores 40-35, 40-36 and 40-37. Crowd, 1500, Foxsports commentaters Brad Vocale and John Casey.
