David Burke loses in Italy!

By Spud Woollatt

08.06 - Unfortunately, Liverpool's David Burke attempt to capture the European Lightweight Title ended in a dissapointing failure in the small town of Trieste in Italy.

After a good win against fellow scouser Colin Dunne, many believed David Burke had the necessary range of punches and in addition the determination to capture the European Title. Readers will be aware Burke vacated the WBU Lightweight Title to take his chance against Zoff, however, the shrewder journalists and boxing pundits believed Burke was up against it after the purse bids were won by the Italians promoter.

David Burke entered the ring looking supremely confident, although some may say too laid back whilst Stefano Zoff entered looking deadly serious ands somewhat animated!

At the start of the first round Burke needed to start quickly which he did by landing some stinging overhand lefts, it seemed Zoff was a little confused boxing the southpaw scouser. But Burke looked too upright and by the middle of the round Zoff began looking for his body punches to immediately slow Burke down.

From the second round onwards Zoff seemed to box in the same manner closing down Burke rapidly, he landed a lot of body shots. It was actually in the second round Burke sustsained a small cut.

As already mentioned the pattern which started in the second seem to continue, Zoff did not allow Burke to box at a distance. He constantly stifled Burkes work.

It was felt it wasn't until the 9th round that Burke did his best work. Zoff looked as if his 37 year old legs were weary and Burke's stiff overhand left was landing with a lot more regularity!! Burke clearly won the 9th.

The 10th and 11th rounds were a little difficult to score and perhaps there was a reasonable case to score these even or perhaps just but only just to Burke.

After the boxers signalled the start of the 12th round by touching gloves it seemed utterly clear, Burke needed something very special. This was clearly his best round and he decisively won it.

The fight was left to the judges and they surprisingly scored the fight extremely closely. Two judges scored the fight 115-114 in favour of Zoff and the other 116-112 again in favour of Zoff.

With the 2 judges scoring the fight so closely this will perhaps make the fight even more frustrating for Burke. He will probably admit he simply did not box to the best of his ability and if he did, the fight would have been there for the taking.