ALEX Leapai, the Samoan slugger from Logan avenged last years points to defeat to veteran warhorse Col Wilson with a dramatic knockout in their WBO Asia Pacific heavyweight title fight on the Jamie Myer Fight Night at Southport RSL on Friday. Wilson went in coming off a draw with unbeaten Solomon Haumono in March and was confident he could weather the early storm of Leapai and dominate the second half of he fight. But Col never looked in it. He was bleeding from the nose and mouth by the end of the first round and took a consistent pasting to the head and body.. Wilson landed some pitty pat shots but the quantity and quality was always on Leapai’s side. The end came at 2 minutes 11 of the eighth stanza when referee Allan Moore waved it off after Leapai knocked the former Gold Coaster down for the second time after brutal hooks to the head and body.
The main support cruiserweight bout between ANBF number 7 Shane MC Conville and Qld number 3 Phil Maley was stopped after round two. It was an entertaining battle while it lasted but ended just s it was heating up due to a severe cut, caused by a head clash unintentioinaly, over Maley’s right eye. Both are good prospects and a return is on the cards.
Les Sherrington, Miami’s WBA number 15 super middleweight scored a stoppage over two division Quensland champion Glenn The Executioner Fitzpatrick when the Gatton veteran could not answer for combat at the start of thr fifth round. Sherrington got caught by wide hooks and the odd straight left by southpaw Fitzpatrick but dominated with faster hands and clever switch hitting.
2006 Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Jarrod Fletcher made his professional debut stopping the Gold Coasts Queensland number 5 Ryan Coppick in round four of a willing tussle at super midleweights. Coppick got home some nice hooking punches but in the end could not cope with Fletcher’s excellent hand – eye co ordination and was taking unanswered shots when referee stopped the fight. Fletcher won 152 from 180 amateur contests.
The four round welterweight four rounder between Surfers Paradise’s pro debuting Tommy Gun Szeremi and Filipino puncher Ariel Barotillo ended in a technical draw due to cuts over Barotillo’s eyes. The bout was willing every second of the way with Barratillo, brother of two time world title challenger Arnel, landing hard punches early in round two but the heads came together often as the two prospects came forward looking to load up.
Tweed PCYC welterweight “Cabarita Cyclone” Casey Hannan demolished Qld number 5 Mhelvin Hernandez in one minute 13 seconds of round one. Hernandez was dropped twice, by a left hook to the head and a left rip to the body by the debuting southpaw Hannan. RSC on the second knockdown. Hannan is described by his team as a true throwback ti the 1930’s – 40’s and is one to watch.