02.07.05 – By Tony Nobbs: Shannan Taylor and Lovemore Ndou recorded inside the distance victories at the Panthers Leagues Club while Nadel Hussein scored a fifth round stoppage at the Belleview Centre in Bankstown in Sydney’s West on Friday night. Former WBC welterweight challenger Taylor took his record to 43-3-2, with 29 via the short route by scoring a one sided seven round TKO of jet lagged Argentine Sergio Acuna ( 28-14-2, 11 KO’s) in an over the limit non title bout.
A controlled kind of performance by the 33 year old IBF # 3 jnr middleweight despite being deducted a point for a low blow in the fourth round and warned several times by referee Brian Mc Mahan. Acuna’s only chance for victory was to win by DQ and he did his best to explore the possibility. He began complaining in the second round of shots below the belt and managed to stall the inevitable, surviving longer than he was expected. Acuna was also guilty dipping forward with his head coming in as Shannan used a peak a boo type defence..
Taylor is still a hurtful puncher downstairs and these shots eventually took their toll on Sergio, a former WBA fedelatin champion and WBU title challenger at 147 lb, who reportedly only arrived the morning of the fight. Taylor also hurt him with clean right hands down the pipe and uppercuts on the inside and at the end of the sixth Acuna was in trouble, falling halfway through the ropes. Between breaks the tired import sat on his stool – for the first time in the fight – and his corner man was ordered to the dressing room for verbal abuse to the referee. When the bell rang to start round seven the towel came in. Even though he was well beaten Acuna did try to get some attack going and managed to connect on a few occasions.
In their first bout last September, Taylor scored an eight round TKO after initially being disqualified for low blows before the result was over-ruled and the no foul rule invoked.
“I thank God. I thank Tony Caradonna. I say hello to my beautiful daughter Nathalia and her mother Beccy at home. I was taking my time. He was eight and a half kilo heavier than me, I had to spot him weight” said Shannan who claimed the WBF 168 lb belt in December.
“Once my body shots were taken away, I found it very frustrating. I knew he had nothing in the tank, one or two might’ve been low but look at the red marks around his body. I’ve had good sparring with Danny Green (in West Australia). He will be in the winners circle again and I thank you Danny.”
Of the possible title shot with Kasim Ouma? “Hopefully we will get it” he said.
Long standing contender Ndou needed just 116 seconds to wreck Indonesian Joey de Ricardo’s unbeaten (9-0-2, 6 O’s) record
retaining his IBF Pan Pacific 140 lb belt.
The classy Ndou (41-8-1, 27 KO’s) has extended Sharmba Mitchell, Miguel Cotto and Junior Whitter on short notice in the past and is still clamouring for a shot at the IBF title held by Ricky Hattan. He is due to fight an eliminator, originally set against Juan Urango in August, but with the Columbian’s recent withdrawal, Lovemore stated after the fight that the next available contender is West Australian based Noefel Ben Rabah who has been claiming the South African born Sydney fighter is afraid to fight him for quite some time.
“I had seen tape of de Ricardo and he looked dangerous – I just wanted to get him out of there as quick as possible. I didn’t want to risk getting a cut or anything” said Ndou, 33, rated # 3 by the IBF. “Ben Rabah has been doing a lot of talking. Lets do it. He can bring his ass, I will knock him out.”
Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Daniel Geale, rated # 3 in Australia, boxed along to a unanimous six round decision over former national 154 pound title holder Steve Douet at middleweight. Geale, now 7-0, 6 KO’s, is regarded by many as the most talented of Australian prospects and he did pretty much as he pleased after a close opening round. Douet holds a controversial kick boxing decision win over former IBF jnr lightweight champion Lester Ellis.
NSW middleweight champion Adam Vella, rated # 8 in Australia, scored a four round stoppage of Thailand’s Radar Sithpeth-In.
Former Australian jnr welterweight champ Matt Pauley won a six round unanimous verdict over Victorian Paul Le at middleweight. Southpaw Pauley had too much over all skill for his diminutive opponent.
Queenslander James Ellis, rated # 6 in Australia at super cruiser, won a UD over Rob Pelizzeri in a heavyweight six rounder.
Promoter: Tony Caradonna. Fox Sport commentators: Andy Raymond, IBF vice President Ray Wheatley and hall of fame legend Col. Bob Sheridan.
At Bankstown, local favourite and former WBC 122 pound title challenger Hussein (38-2, 24 KO’s), 127.6 lb, stopped Thailand’s Aree Phosuwan Gym , 122.5 lb at 2 min 54 of round five, catch-weight.
Undercard: Chris Hamilton (162 lb) TKO 3 Lookton Chor Jaitrong (155 lb) from Thailand, catch-weights. Hamilton is a former amateur star whose only defeat in eight pro starts came in an Australian jnr middleweight challenge. He is rated nationally at # 6 middleweight.
Ahmed Elomar won a unanimous six round decision over Filipino lefty Rey Martizano at jnr lightweight.
Promising Lance Gostellow scored a first round win over Daniel Hoskins at jnr welter. It was only this February past that Hoskins got his flagging career of the ground wining the WBF Asia Pac jnr lightweight title. In his last outing he lost in an attempt to win the Australian jnr lightweight belt against Ahmed Elomar. Unbeaten Gostellow (7-0, 5 KO’s) is rated # 8 in Australia and rising. Hoskins is listed # 5 among Australian jnr lights. Daniel is a talented boxer who, if matched correctly through out his career could easily have been a credible national champion.
Paul Wahlberg (141 lb) won a technical points decision (unanimous) over Jesar Anjaras (140 lb), catchweight and Robert Oyan won a four round unanimous verdict over debutant Reinhard Badato at jnr lightweight. By all accounts this clash was a ripper!