Aussie Boxing Roundup in 2020

[raydoug]

AUSSIE BOXING IN COVID-19 YEAR 2020

Australian boxing saw little activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic but in the later part of the year Australia’s biggest pay-per-view boxer Tim Tszyu attracted 15,000 fans when he destroyed former WBO champion Jeff Horn in eight rounds in August at Bank Stadium in Townsville and there were 12,000 fans at Bankwest stadium when he stopped world rated Bowen Morgan in round one on December 16.Lightweight George Kambosos scored impressive points victory over former world champion Lee Selby in London for the IBF#1 position and the opportunity to challenge IBF,WBO,WBC champion Teofimo Lopez. Former WBA super flyweight champion Andrew Moloney with Joshua Franco in WBA title bout was ruled No Decision contest in Las Vegas but the WBA has ordered a rematch for early 2021. Twin brother Jason boxed courageously against pound for pound best Naoya Inoue in IBF, WBA Bantamweight title bout being halted in round seven. Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum said it is possible he could promote a Mega Show in Australia featuring Moloney v Franco also Jason Moloney, George Kambosos v Teofimo Lopez and Tim Tszyu on the same promotion.

Australia has several world rated boxers that are looking forward to featuring in bouts in 2021 on domestic soil and countries around the globe.

Heavyweight
IBF#12,WBO#13 Demsey McKean (18-0,12KO’s) stopped American journeyman Jonathan Rice in ten rounds in McKean’s only contest for 2020. Former WBA champion Lucas Browne would be excellent opponent for McKean

Promoter Angelo DiCarlo

The Australian heavyweight champion is Justis Huni (2-0,2KO’s) is a 2019 world amateur bronze medalist who will defend the national title against former world title challenger Alex Leapai and former WBA champion Lucas Browne in May and July respectively.

Promoter: Dean Lonergan


Australian heavyweight contender and Rugby League great Paul Gallen is a massive pay-per-view attraction. He defeated MMA and UFC Legend Mark Hunt on December 16 with live gate of 12,000 on Tszyu v Morgan undercard
Gallen trained by Graham Shaw who trained IBF,IBO champion Lovemore Ndou and IBF, WBA middleweight champion Daniel Geale

Promoter Matt Rose

Cruiserweight

IBF#4, Jai Opetaia (20-0,16KO’s) stopped Benjamin Kelleher in six rounds in October in his only contest for 2020. He has excellent amateur pedigree holding world amateur junior title in 2011 and a former 2012 London Olympian .Opetaia could challenge for IBF title in 2021.The IBF1 and IBF#2 are vacant.IBO champion Kevin Lerena rated IBF#3

Promoter:Dean Lonergan


Light-heavyweight


WBA#3, WBC#10 Blake Capparello (30-3-1,13KO’s) had no fights in 2020 with only losses to Sergey Kovalev in 2014, Andre Dirrell in 2016 and Isaac Chilemba in 2018. He is scheduled to clash with Robert Berridge in early 2021.

Promoter: Brian Amatruda

Super- middleweight
Former world rated Zac Dunn, Rohan Murdoch, Jayde Mitchell and Bilal Akkway dropped out of ratings through inactivity and will return to action in 2021.

Former WBC champion Sakio Bika scheduled to fight February 6, 2021 in Australia


Middleweight

WBC#8 Dennis Hogan (28-3-1,7KO’s) suffered defeats by WBC champion Jermell Charlo and former WBO champion Jamie Munguia in 2019.
Hogan now trained in the USA by Wayne McCullough

Promoter: Paul Keegan

Light-middleweight

WBO#2, IBF#4,WBA#8,WBC#10 Tim Tszyu (17-0,12KO’s) could receive WBO title opportunity against the winner of WBO champion Patrick Teixeira or WBO mandatory contender Bruce Castano who clash on February 13.Castano looks to be favoured to be
Tim Tszyu’s opponent.

Promoter: Matt Rose


Welterweight


Super-lightweight
WBO#2, IBF#3Liam Paro (19-0,12KO’s) stopped James Chereji in eight rounds in March and could receive WBO opportunity in 2021 after the WBO champion Jose Ramirez defends against WBO#1 Jack Catterall

Promoter: Angelo DiCarlo


Lightweight
IBF#1,WBO#3 George Kambosos (19-0,10KO’s)
scored points victory over former world champion Lee Selby in London to setup a IBF title opportunity against Teofimo Lopez in 2021

Promoter: Lou DiBella

IBF#10,WBO#11 Jacob Ng (14-0,10KO’s) stopped Hunter Ioane in five rounds at Canberra in December in only bout for 2020


Promoter: Angelo DiCarlo




Super- featherweight
IBF#12 Bruno Tarimo (25-2-2,5KO’s) featured in a technical decision bout with former 2008 Olympian Paul Fleming on December 16.Tarimo is formerly of Tanzania but now based in Australia.

Promoter Matt Rose


WBA#12 Billel Dib(24-3,11KO’s) did not see any activity during 2020


Featherweight
No rated boxers


Super-bantamweight
IBF#10 Brock Jarvis (18-0,16KO’s)
stopped Mark Schleibs in five rounds at Canberra in December


Promoter Dean Lonergan


WBA#15 Luke Boyd (9-0,9KO’s) was inactive in 2020..trains with Jason and Andrew Moloney





Bantamweight
WBC#6,WBA#9,IBF#11 Jason Moloney (21-2,14KO’s) stopped Leonardo Baez in seven
and lost to pound for best Naoya Inoue in seven rounds in Las Vegas in 2020.

Promoter: Top Rank



Super- Flyweight
WBA#2, WBC# 5 Andrew Moloney(21-1,18KO’s)
boxed controversial no decision bout with WBO champion Joshua Franco in 2020 and WBA ordered a rematch for 2021.


Promoter Top Rank



Flyweight
No rated boxers



Junior Flyweight
No rated boxers




Mini Flyweight
No rated boxers

Prospects
Justis Huni (Heavyweight)
Liam Wilson( Super- Featherweight)
Jason Whateley (Cruiserweight)
Emmanuel Carlos ( Middleweight)
Cesar Mateo Tapia ( Super- Middleweight)
Reagan Dessaix (Light-Heavyweight)
Issac Hardman (Middleweight)


Leading Promoters

Dean Lonergan
Matt Rose
Angelo DiCarlo
Paul Nasari
Peter Maniatis
Brian Amatruda


Leading trainers
Igor Goulobev (Tim Tszyu)
Michael Akkawy ( George Kambosos)
Alfie DiCarlo ( Liam Paro)
Angelo Hyder ( Jason and Andrew Moloney)
Jeff Fenech (Brock Jarvis)
Stephen Ng. (Jacob Ng.)
Tapu Opetaia (Jai Opetaia )
Graham Shaw ( Paul Gallen)


Leading Managers
Tony Tolj
Glenn Jennings
Peter Maniatis
Jeff Fenech
Dean Lonergan
Angelo DiCarlo

Leading referee’s

Ignatius Missailidis
Tony Marretta
Phil Austin
Derek Milham
John Cauchi
Les Fear.
Philip Holiday
Paul Tapley
Steve Marshall
Kevin Hogan
Will Soulos


Deaths
Hector Thompson, (70 years) Australian Hall of Famer , who challenged Roberto Duran and Antonio Cervantes in Panama.

Jimmy Thunder (54 years) former Australian heavyweight champion, who defeated Tim Witherspoon, Tony Tubbs and Trevor Berbick

Brian McMahon (79 years) WBC Referee

Barry Raff ( Promoter 1990 - 2015)

Lou Korica (trainer Melbourne based)

[patron]

GREAT TO SEE SOMEONE PUT A LIFE BACK INTO BOXREC,,,2021 IS LOOKING GOOD.. ALL THE BEST

[Axl]

GREAT TO SEE SOMEONE PUT A LIFE BACK INTO BOXREC,,,2021 IS LOOKING GOOD.. ALL THE BEST

This.

[raydoug]

The best referee in Australia is arguably Brad Vocale who is still performing at top level in his sixties

[Grant]

Good summary, I want to support some of the local fights down in Melbourne. I am interested in a summary of the women fighters too, They are becoming better to watch over the years

[Marlin]

Awesome summary, it’s a pity 2021 hasn’t turned out there way we hoped though.

Any predictions for 2022?

[560859]

Awesome summary, it’s a pity 2021 hasn’t turned out there way w computer monitoring softwaree hoped though.

Any predictions for 2022?

I would love to predict and share, but my predictions never work out... do you have some?

[Brute]

As things stand nothing is likely to happen for Australian boxers on the international stage until the Pandemic is under control.

[Marlin]

I dare say you are right Brute, with boxing being one of the sports that you really need to compete with international talent and the state of the Australian borders it’s unlikely there will be a lot of opportunities.