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MUNDINE WINS IN 3!
By Tony Nobbs
 16.07 - Just like he did in his brother Lester’s four round TKO loss to Calvin Grove in 1996, Keith Ellis walked into to the ring at Melbourne’s Vodafone Arenalast night halting the former IBF 130 lb Champ’s bout with Super Middleweight Anthony Mundine at the 2 minute mark of round three. The action by Keith was correct but not appreciated by the sell out crowd there to witness what the majority hoped would be a huge upset. 37 year old Ellis, (now 41-8, 29ko’s) got off to a good start, shuffling forward and moving side to side in the centre of the ring, connecting with a few glancing hooks. But with about 30 seconds left in round one the non title ten rounder was as a good as over. Mundine (27 years old, now 13-1, 11 ko’s) got through with a sneaky right hand and Ellis backed into the ropes obviously shaken. Mundine stepped forward, then backed off and brought Ellis back to centre. Another right dropped Lester ten seconds later. Ellis beat the count but was struggling in the corner between rounds, the first right cutting him above the left eye.
Round two was a better round for Ellis and Mundine just moved around looking to play. A couple of solid hooks got through but “The Man” took them well. Mundine connected with a good right hand but just moved off. Round three was much the same, and Ellis did show glimpses of his former self along the ropes by making some of Mundine’s fast combo’s miss. Ellis also had success during the bout when he got on the front foot and pinned Mundine on the ropes with body shots. The final shot was a right hand to the back of the head of Ellis who got up only to see his brother-trainer save him from more punishment. Referee Malcolm Bulner waved it away. After the bout the colourful and straight forward Keith addressed the disappointed crowd “I’ve got to stop it. I’m the one who has to take him home. He had a dig, he did his best. It’s not easy in here. If it’s so easy how would you like to get in. As far as I’m concerned you can all go and get F…..”.
The winner, now rated #12 by the WBA and holder of the PABA Super Middlewight belt said “Lester was a hero of mine. I appreciate him fighting me.I’ve been in the ring with a legend tonight. A lot of fighter's dodged him in his day. I thank God. I was the better man. What Lester achieved in the ring he deserved all the claps and admiration he got before the fight. A lot of critics wrote him off but to be honest he’s still got a deadly punch. Keith did the right thing by his brother. I hope I can come down and win a World Title in Melbourne. The fans were great”.
On possible Aussie opponents like Paul Briggs, Danny Green, Ricky Thornberry, Pierre Karam and Glenn Kelly he said “I’d like to fight these guys”.
With Thornberry fighting Argentine Ramon Brietz for the WBA Fedelatin Title in August, a Mundine- Thornberry fight looks a certainty for Brisbane in September to unify the PABA-Fedelatin Belts. Mundine’s next opponent will be the WBA-African Champion and the former Rugby League star looks on course to a WBA Title fight next year. While many in Australian boxing are calling for a shot at him, the fact is, he is the draw card and his team calls the tunes. He is the PABA Champion and if a fighter wants a shot at him they should challenge through the appropriate channels. He was one punch away, in only his tenth fight from capturing the IBF Title from the highly regarded Champion Sven Ottke, before running out of gas and being KO’d himself so he has showed he is prepared to fight the best when something worth while is on the line.
The night was not a good one for Lester’s family in the ring, his half brother David Deicke getting knocked out in one round by Nick Lundh in the main prelim.It was a bout Deicke was expected to win convincingly. This may have played a part. But there can be no excuses the fight went the way
a lot predicted. Mundine is World Class and would start favourite with any Australian rival with the exception of Paul Briggs who was ringside last night.
There was also a 20 minute hold up before the Main Event as Ellis demanded to be paid up front before entering the ring. This may have been a ploy to unrattle Mundine and shortly later he then claimed a right to come out last.
“This is my hometown. I’m the Man here” but after the Victorian State Boxing Board came in and informed him his home crowd wanted him out first, he came out to a fittingly thunderous ovation. After the bout Lester said "Anthony gave me a chance, he gave me a shot, I thank him for that".
Mundine and Ellis Weigh In!
By Tony Nobbs
14.07 - On February 15, 1985, a scrawny 19 year old kid named Lester Ellis won the IBF Super Featherweight Title by a 15 round decision over Korean tough man Hyun Kil Yuh at a jam packed Melbourne Festival Hall. Tomorrow night he meets Super Middleweight contender Anthony Choc Mundine at Melbourne's Vodafone Arena which by all indications will be filled to capacity. At this afternoons weigh - in, held at his brother Keith's hotel in Melbourne suburb of Footscray, the former World Champion came in at a rock solid 73.9 kg while the controversial "Man" scaled a light 75.8.
The non-title 10 rounder will be the first the 37 year old "Master Blaster" has had since being stopped in four rounds by ex IBF Featherweight Champ Calvin Grove in April 1996 and has received bad press since it was announced several weeks ago. But as the saying goes, "Any publicity is good publicity" and anticipation in Melbourne town is reaching fever pitch. Efforts to ruin the promotion have back fired and in the past week, there was originally a report that Ellis (41-6, 29 KO'S) had not trained and was pulling out to save himself from humiliation, several Boxing insiders labelling it a farce, and then the Australian Medical Association called for the fight to be cancelled, citing fears for Ellis' safety. Criticising Mundine ( 27 years old, record 13-1, 10 KO'S) is a national past time to many but in this case, all it has done is stir interest and make people genuinely evaluate the claims.
The fact is, Ellis has been given the all clear after stringent medical examinations by the Victorian Boxing Board of Control and has been in training camp for over 3 months, shedding 16 kilo's. His dedication has convinced Keith Ellis, one of the most crafty trainers in Aussie Boxing history to prepare his brother for what will be the most important and difficult fight in his career. "Give the guy credit, he has trained his but off for 13 weeks in the bush and he is still a devastating puncher. He has won more titles than Mundine has had fights. He has been IBF Champ, two time Commonwealth Champ, as well as being a WBF Welterweight Champ and a three division IBO Title holder. Mundine has proven in the past that when the going gets tough, he goes missing. Lester won't be as fast as Choc but he only needs to be as fast as Sven Ottke. We know it will be a big task, but one punch can turn a fight around" said the older Ellis brother, who has trained more Australian Champion's than any trainer ever."Lester is feeling great, and he has given himself every opportunity. This is hometown and he really wants to put on a great show. Focused, he is just like when he was Champion but more mature. This is his Super Fight, he never got one with Jeff Fenech when he was younger. He has plenty of fire in his belly".
While Mundine obviously will start an almost unbackable favourite, there is a genuine feeling from some (including myself) that Ellis could pull something out. Mundine proved in his lone defeat to Sven Ottke last December 1st that he is a brilliant boxer with explosive speed who deserves to be genuinely rated among the World's top 10 Super Middles. Whether he captures a World Title remains to be seen but he is currently on course to a tilt at the WBA Crown by mid 2003. In saying this you may wonder how a 37 year old former 130 pounder who has been out of boxing for six years could possibly give him a tough fight, let alone cause the upset? Well, here goes. For this fight, Ellis has no weight troubles, a problem that was responsible for some of his losses, including the Grove knockout (he went 10 with Grove in 1993). He possesses the punching power to take advantage of what most see as Mundine's achiles heal. And he has the savvy to see get through the early rounds and rough a tiring Mundine up down the stretch in front of a hometown crowd. Has got himself in tremendous condition and has campaigned succesfully as a Kickboxer in his absence from boxing. And then there is what has been described as "The Keith Ellis factor".
Fight observer Joe Sita, whose father Cos promoted Ellis to the World Title said "Melbourne is buzzing. It is like the old days. All the old Boxing people have come out of the wood work. Both of them look great and Choc always generates publicity. There are people who reckon Lester can do it, and Lester and Keith are confident. Then there's the point that nobody really knows what to expect from Lester which is part of the intrigue. For all the bagging the fight has received it looks like a successful promotion".
If Mundine, the PABA Champion, rated #12 by the WBA, is victorious tomorrow night he will fight a unification bout with the WBA- African Champion before facing fellow Australian Ricky Thornberry in late September, providing Thornberry, a durable two time World Title Challenger (Calzaghe & Ottke) wins the WBA Fedelatin Title against Argentina's former IBO Champ Ramon Brietz in Brisbane on July August 16. Otherwise, he will face Brietz.
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