22.04.05 – By Tony Nobbs: WBU bantamweight champion Nathan Sting scored a cut eye TKO victory in round three of young Filipino trier Rey Martizano at Southport RSL on last night. In his first outing in nineteen months the workman like Sting was always going to win but substitute Martizano was giving a respectable account of himself and it was unfortunate the cut occurred denying the Gold Coaster from much needed rounds.. Rey was cut by a punch over the right eye in round two and after it started bleeding again in the third referee Phil Austin called in Dr Ron Finlay who advised the stoppage, to the disappointment of both southpaws.
Afterwards Nathan said “I’m filthy. I need the rounds. He (Martizano) knew what he was doing in there, he knew his way around. He could punch hard, so I had to hit him with something to get him back to reality. I don’t think it (the blood) was affecting his vision.”
Martizano, currently based in Sydney and trained by Todd Makelin was placed on stand by over the weekend when it appeared likely that Nigerian Friday Felix Fatunji would not make it due to visa complications. Even though he has now been beaten in his two Australian appearances he is a willing little type with good power and has a better record than some sources say.
Before the bout, in the dressing room, Sting again asked to let it be known he’d love to fight former gym mate, England’s WBO number six Martin Power.
“Mate, he is a Koala. It’d be an easy fight for me. When I was sparring him over there I’d have to go easy. In the end it was a waste of time going to the gym to spar him, I got a better work out punching the bag.”
In an earlier contest on last night’s card, 2004 Olympian Ryan Langham made a successful pro debut when he stopped fellow Gold Coaster Shane Green in round three. Langham was always in control and a couple of beautifully placed body shots sank the game Green with referee Allan Moore waving it immediately. Langham, who weighed jnr welter for this fight (Green came in as a welter) will campaign in the jnr lightweight division. He represented in Athens at featherweight. The rangy southpaw had been sparring WBA featherweight champion Chris John for several weeks in preparation for John’s successful defence over former champ Derek Gainer. At 24, Ryan looks a good one.
In the main support, Langham’s brother in law Matt Burns won the vacant Queensland State jnr middleweight title scoring a unanimous decision over the ever reliable Fabrice Hona. This was a good fight with Fabrice giving one of his best performances as a professional. Matt was hurt in round four and Fab was decked by a right in the seventh. A big pull in weights by fight time helped Matt take charge over the last few rounds to take a deserved decision though the fight was much closer than the score cards of 79 –72 (x2) and 80-72 indicated.
This writer remembers Hona as a 14 year old representing the Northern Territory at the Australian titles at Tweed Heads Seagulls RLFC in 1986 where he defeated future Australian professional lightweight champion Danny McGrail. As one official pointed out ringside last night, while his professional log is lopsided terribly, boxing owes the Fabrice Hona’s much in the fact that fighter’s like him are the back bone of many a promotion. Fab is again due to fight in Melbourne on May 1. He had a couple of weeks notice and though he fought up a division, showed enough to extend the favoured Burns and on more than one occasion an upset looked possible. When he boxes at range Burns appears to have the makings of a useful performer. He probably is more suited to middleweight class.
Les Sherrington scored at three round TKO over William Hadlow at super middleweight. Sherington is close to a national rating.
Pro debutant Emmett Gazzard stopped Dave Smith in round two at bantamweight.
In other Australian results last night: At the Sydney’s University of NSW, IBF Pan Pac light heavyweight champ Jason Delisle scored a three round knockout Sakeasi Dakua, 2000 C’wealth Games Gold Medallist Paul Miller outpointed Joel Burke over eight (80-71 x 3. Burke weighed over super middle limit so his IBF Pan Pac not on line). Queenslander Israel Kani stopped NSW’s Tim Rolph at the end of round two at super middle and Jamie Withers outpointed Big Eagle over four at super cruiserweight.
While at Coffs Harbour RSL in NSW locally based Justin Clements won the Australian Light Heavyweight title by outpointing Queensland’s Glenn Fitzpatrick. Scores 96-94, 96-94 and 98-93. Ethiopian Olympian Addis Tebubu won on points over six against Filipino Rolando Gerongco, lightweight.