18.02.07 – By James Slater: Tonight, at Wembley Arena in London, five of the most breathtaking and brutal rounds ever seen in a lightweight fight in Britain were witnessed. Luton’s Graham Earl and Australia’s Michael Katsidis went to war while contesting the interim WBO title and the bombs really did fly. In all honesty, the fight’s intensity was so great and the switching momentums were so rapid, that many great fights sprang to mind as the mesmerising explosion of boxing action unfolded. Classics like Hagler-Hearns, Barrera-Morales and even Corrales-Castillo were given a run for their money tonight as the two 135 pounders gave their all.. In fact, but for the sudden termination to the warfare – caused by the British man’s corner surrender – the fight may well have gone on to become one of the greatest fights of all-time. Exaggerations are not being used here, either.
In round one, Katsidis, 21-0(19) coming in, went out on the attack immediately. Two big right uppercuts to the head landed for the Australian and it was clear he had some serious iron in his fists – as was expected beforehand. Now Earl knew it firsthand. Graham fired back himself though, and a toe-to-toe battle commenced. Some stiff body shots got home for the unbeaten Katsidis, and the pair of them continued to trade in ring centre. In fact, there was scarcely a clinch all night. Then the Australian’s awesome power saw its customary effect. A big right hand upstairs put Earl on the canvas and it was clear he was very badly hurt. He remained sat on the mat until the count of about eight, either due to being unable to get back up any quicker or because he was wisely taking every possible second to recover. But once he was back up he was soon knocked back down again. A combination blazed into his head and as Graham crashed again the fight looked to be over. That it wasn’t was simply because of Earl’s astonishing courage and heart. Indeed, the best action was yet to come.
Round two, and Graham, 25-1(12) traded bravely with his tormentor as best he could. But he was sent flying to the floor for a third time and his chances looked hopeless. It was a right hand that did the damage yet again and though he beat the count for the third time this evening shortly after he did so his corner threw in the towel – clearly thinking the situation was nothing but dire. But referee Micky Vann, choosing to ignore the intended white flag, threw the towel back and the fight continued. And, quite unbelievably, Earl came back into it! He uncorked a cracking right hand of his own and Katsidis was sent reeling. Vann gave him a count and the crowd roared deafeningly. The incredible turnaround sent waves of electric through the huge pro-Earl crowd and the makings of an unforgettable fight had already been surpassed. Graham was stuck on the ropes at the round’s end as the brutality was fierce until the bell.
At the start of the third, Earl’s trainer Johnny Eames told his man to box and move. Graham tried but he was soon under more pressure. That said, the action was more or less fifty-fifty at this stage and an ending to the bout, one way or the other, looked imminent. Earl was once more shipping punishment while on the ropes but managed to punch his way off. There were bombs from both men in this incredible session. A burst of body blows by Michael was deemed to have gone below the belt, however, and Vann gave him a severe warning. Graham tried to get his left jab working, to a degree of success – before a slip to the canvas temporarily halted matters. Then, in the round’s last few seconds another low blow landed from Katsidis and this time Vann took away a point. But would the fight’s points totals matter in this one?
The fourth now, and Earl was pushed to the floor by Katsidis. The action resumed and the super-strong man from Australia drove Graham to the ropes yet again. Graham gritted his teeth and managed to hang tough though, before Katsidis planted his feet and blazed away with a rain of blows. Well over twenty punches, many of which were admittedly of the arm punch variety, landed on the intended target of Earl’s head and jaw. The monstrous number of shots looked a dead-cert to at last finish the brave Earl off, but no. He came firing back with some shots of his own. The toe-to-toe war we had the privilege of witnessing was truly something special. By this stage, though, despite his grit and endless determination, the notion started to dawn on me that Graham Earl’s career may well have been shortened due to the frightening punishment he’d shipped tonight. Graham was also cut above the left eye now, which shot in particular had caused the damage was hard to see, as blistering as the action had been.
The fifth round began, and the pace was as intense as ever. A sharp one-two to the head landed for the Luton man, but Katsidis replied with jarring left jabs to his head. The slugging continued unabated once more, but the feeling was the Australian was the much stronger man. The fight was very, very damaging – especially to Graham Earl. Katsidis was teeing off on his shaken opponent at the end of the round, with the occasional decent looking counter thrown back. And then the bell rang, as it turned out the final bell that would be sounded during this amazing war of a fight.
Earl’s corner pulled their man out prior to the sixth and one of the most pulse-quickening fights ever staged in a British ring was over. Many conclusions were reached after such an epic and hard fought encounter. The two most significant ones being that Michael Katsidis is most certainly a force to be reckoned with at any level, and that Graham Earl, though the win eluded him, has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. From those fans who were sat/stood at ringside tonight, a debt of gratitude is owed to him. As is one owed to his conqueror.