Mirovic & Calloway Weigh In

23.06.05 – By Tony Nobbs: Heavy underdog ‘Big’ Bob Mirovic will have a massive weight advantage over Rob Calloway in tonight’s WBF heavyweight title showdown after hitting the scales at 120.05 kg (264 lb) at the fight venue, the Royal Pines Resort on Queensland’s Gold Coast.. For the last two months and again at yesterday’s press conference the thirty nine year old New South Welshman had predicted he would come in around the 115 kg (253 lb) mark. Calloway weighed 95.00 kg (209 lb). Even though he came in heavier than he said he would, Mirovic has obviously done the preparation. While not looking as sculptured as the entertaining American, he did look a lot more cut than in the previously.

“I’m taking a no prisoners attitude in to this fight” said Mirovic at the noon pressie.

“Rob has come a long way to win his title, that is why I have trained as hard as I have. I’ve done 100 rounds of sparring for this and I will say this right now, the winner of this fight will not be decided by the
judges. The winner will be the last man standing. No way in the world is this fight going the distance”.

Spending six weeks in the States sparring Mike Tyson has Mirovic jumping out of his skin and brimming with self-belief.

“It was a great experience. The first week was daunting, looking through my gloves at Mike Tyson was daunting but I got over it ( the mental barrier) and after that I was more comfortable and I was taking Mike apart.”

“After six rounds, Mike was exhausted and I was then doing another six with Corey ‘T-Rex’ Sanders who said ‘man this guy hits hard!’”

Ever since arriving last Tuesday Calloway and his team have carried themselves professionally and the experienced visitor understandably scoffed at the importance of his opponents recent work.

“No I’m not concerned at all about Bob sparring Mike Tyson. He (Tyson) just lost to a guy I would take out in two or three rounds. I have sparred both Evander Holyfield and Buster Douglas in the past who had their way with Mike in their primes.”

Asked what he would do to off set the bullying tactics of the bigger man, the former cruiserweight contender from St Joseph Missouri, said “ I’m going to be throwing a lot of punches from the get go. Every one I fight, they say I’m too small and they are going to wear me down but the longer the fight goes the stronger I get. I’ve come up from light heavyweight and I’m in the peak of my career at the age of thirty five. I just took a fight in Utah (May 14) that I didn’t need to take and haven’t stopped training, sparring good guys like Tony Tubbs and ‘King’ Arthur Williams. I’ve been here for nine days now, I’m on time with everything.”

Even though Calloway opened the betting market a firm favorite, most local boxing people view the outcome as a 50-50 affair. If their predictions on what weight they will come in at is any indication, he got of to a good start, saying that “my best weight is around 210 pounds.”

As for a fight prediction?

“I was born in Louisville, Kentucky and there is only one man from there who can make predictions” he said during the week.

With good feeling between both camps the only bit of verbal slagging yesterday came from Bobs passionate trainer Angelo Hyder and even then it was directed at former champion Joe Bugner who won a split nod over Mirovic in 1998. After Bugner, sitting next to Calloway, jokingly commented that his old foe was “not really a local” on the Gold Coast, Hyder quipped back “Hey
Joe, they were booing you and cheering him after you fought him here brother. That’s local enough”.

Gentleman Joe, with a grin, asked the media “Did you hear something? Is there someone over there?”

Bugner, now 55, then said he thought the result was too close to call. “But if this man (Mirovic) is capable of winning the title I will come back only to prove to him that I can beat him easily. We will pack the Gold Coast Convention Center.”

Mirovic responded that he would carry Bugner out of respect, for twelve rounds, “if” a rematch happened.

Asked on what he thought his fighter’s chances were, Hyder got serious and acknowledged “This fight is even. Either man can win it.”

“ I give (promoter) Jamie Myer credit for putting this fight on. This is one of the most evenly matched fights in Australia for a long time. No disrespecting Rob, you can’t, he is a fighter who has stepped in and fought top guys, but, you know, this is the first time Bob hasn’t had to worry about going to work, dropping the kids off at school and then picking them up before heading to the gym and trying to get enough sleep. Bob’s preparation, going into camp, has been five times better than it has been ever before. I think it will show out tomorrow night and be the difference.”

Officials for the fight are referee Ignatius Missailidis. Judges Chris Anderson, Cyril Cairns and New Zealander Dennis Enright. Super visor: WBF President Mick Croucher.

Undercard, starting from 7.30 pm, from first fight onwards is:

Baden Oui v Jason Heppi (4 rounds – heavyweight)
Israel Kani v William Hadlow (4 rounds – super middleweight)
John Szigeti v Alex Mene (4 rounds – heavyweight)
Jason Pierce v Les Sherrington ( 8 rounds – Queensland State super
middleweight title)
King Kava v Richard Tutaki (6 rounds – heavyweight)

Foxsport commentators: Andy Raymond and Brad Vocale.