Soliman says he will KO Hamdan

[braden]

Soliman hits back at Hamdan

INCENSED boxer Sam Soliman has taken aim at the credentials of opponent Nader Hamdan, accusing him of being a big-fight choker and claiming that he will knock out the Sydneysider in their December 3 bout.

Usually reserved and complimentary in the extreme ahead of his fights, Melbourne's Soliman decided to break from tradition after Hamdan claimed his former friend was ``a fake'' in last Thursday's Herald.

Returning fire, Soliman issued this to Hamdan: ``You carry on like you're some sort of world-beater yet if you have a glance at your own record it's pretty simple to identify that you have only won two out of your last six fights and have never knocked out a genuine opponent yet.

"The only time you manage a KO win is when you're fighting mediocre opposition."It's like this Nader, your entire career you have always fallen short when you step up to quality opposition - this fight will be no different.

"We both took [world champion Anthony Mundine the distance this year succumbing to points losses. I now intend to do something Mundine couldn't and that's to knock you out.''

By the time the pair meet on December 3 at the Hordern Pavilion, the ill-feeling should have risen from simmering boiling point.Hamdan had threatened to ``bash'' Soliman after years of unsuccessful lobbying for a rematch of their 2003 bout - which Soliman won on points to end Hamdan's undefeated streak of 32-0.After challenging Soliman in the ring following his loss to Mundine in February, Hamdan said he was told there was no chance of that happening by Soliman's camp and announced his retirement.

"They've waited for me to be retired all this time before coming to me, I will be retired nearly a year when I step back in the ring so they're doing this for themselves,'' Hamdan said.

"I will say it again, Sam Soliman is a fake. He was praising me last week, and now he turns around and says this about me. He obviously thought these things about me and my record last week so why praise me? That's what I mean about being fake.

"I have fought some of the best fighters out there and I always gave it my best, that's all I could do. I may have fallen short but I have no shame in that because I always tried my hardest.''

Soliman was angered that Hamdan, a taxi driver, described his punches as "pitty-pat''."I will now teach you a lesson or two about pitter patter punches and I strongly suggest the only way you'll be battering something in the not too distant future is if you get out of your cab and buy a fish and chip shop,'' Soliman said.

"You're not driven by emotion, you're driven by embarrassment. You hardly won a round cleanly last time - this time it won't be left to the judges as I bombard you with punches and grind you down.

"I will see you in December and if you're nice to me, I will book your cab to pick me up from the airport and I will give you one of your early Christmas presents - a pillow. And if you're smart you will take it to the ring with you because I am going to give you your other early Christmas present and knock your sorry arse out.''

Since losing to Soliman, Hamdan (40-6, 18 KO) has struggled to rise to the great heights once expected of him, although he gave a courageous showing against Mundine - the biggest fight of his career.

Soliman (35-11, 13KO) has established his name in the United States after testing top-class middleweight Ronald Wright and featuring in the last Contender reality television series, finishing third after losing to eventual winner Sakio Bika of Sydney.The fight between Soliman and Hamdan will be for the IBO super-middleweight intercontinental title.

[adamheight]

should be a cracking fight...it certainly has all the fireworks in the build up.

i dont see a KO here though, i see a UD for sol by approx 3 rounds.

[JSA]

agreed and tho sadly thhe fireworks do seem genuine just cant see either getting a ko win. hope does not turn into a foul fest and both remain professional.the verbal stuuff seems so ouut of character for both.anyway hhope its a good one. soliman UD.

[adamheight]

agreed and tho sadly thhe fireworks do seem genuine just cant see either getting a ko win. hope does not turn into a foul fest and both remain professional.the verbal stuuff seems so ouut of character for both.anyway hhope its a good one. soliman UD.

yeah its out of character for both men, especially sol who is such an awesome guy out of the ring...the loser of this one knows its probably curtains and they are both desperate for that one last hurrah.

[buster007]

hopefully sam wins as a loss would mean retirement u would think.
and i'd hate for his last fight to be a loss to hamdan.

[Marlin]

[amwsnw]

very uncharacteristic comments by Sam. I can see Sam winning by a wide decision if he is smart. Do we know if it is being televised ??

[cace]

i think i heard somewhere it is gonna be on main event