21.03.04 – By Tony Nobbs – WBC interim Super Middleweight champion Danny Green outpunched extrordinary New Zealander Sean Sullivan over ten rounds last night in front of a packed out house of 5000 in his hometown of Perth. While Green won every round and was too strong for Sullivan, a former WBA # 3 at welterweight, it was Sullivan who ended the fight the fresher of the two. After the final bell,
an exhausted and dehydrated looking Green sat in his corner tended to by his entourage while Sullivan appeared he could box another five rounds and left many wondering what the result would have been had it been a twelve round title affair.
The words tough and warrior are overused today. Not in the case of Sean Sullivan. He entered the ring with a proven reputation as being tougher than nails and his performance against the highly regarded puncher further added to his legend down under. While Sullivan went the distance with Anthony Mundine last year for the PABA and WBA Fedelatin belts and the story line was supposed to read a convincing stoppage for the now 18-1, 17 KO ‘Green Machine’ and add fuel to a Mundine-Green showdown.
The first half of the fight was great for Green as he dug to the body and looked to be breaking Sullivan down. But over the last half the pugnacious Kiwi hung tough as the Australians punches gradually lost snap. Sullivan (51-15, 22 KO) also had mild success throughout but his lack of power meant Green was always able to take risks. Sullivan spent much of the fight with his back on the ropes but more than once he would skip up to Green once they got into centre ring after a Green barrage.
Green is trained by triple world champion Jeff Fenech and Billy Hussein while Sullivan is trained by Alex Sua (the last man to fight and beat Tony Mundine Snr) and was cornered by Noel and Ricky Thornbery. After the fight Green and Fenech both sang the praises of Sullivan who in kind called Green a worthy world champion and said he could not pick a winner of Mundine Green. Referee Brad Vocale. Judges scores 100-90, 100-89 and 100-88.
In the chief support local Ben Cruz overcame a rough start to capture the PABA interim jnr. lightweight title with a twelve round unan decision over Indonesian Untung Ortega. Cut in the opening seconds (at first it looked a right hand-on tape a head clash) the former Ausie champ was knocked down in the final twenty seconds by a short right. Returning to the corner unsteady
he was helped by good corner work from stand in cutman Angelo Hyder and trainer Craig Christian. After splitting the next two rounds Cruz’ boxing skill and movement saw him sweep the final nine.
Hussein Hussein stopped Dedek Chandra after two rounds in a jnr bantamweight bout.
Daniel Dawson stopped Nick Lundh in four rounds to claim vacant PABA jnr middleweight title.
Popular heavyweight Bob Mirovic stopped Fijian Silovate Rasiku in three.
Noefel Ben Rabah outpointed Fred Kinuthia over six at lt.welterweight.