From Gisborne, New Zealand
Heavyweight: Shane Cameron (22-1, 19 ko)vs. Robert Davis (32-9, 20ko)
Coming live from Gisborne, we are presented with world ranked heavyweight Shane Cameron’s homecoming bout against Robert Davis. Cameron seemed set to be an upper tier heavyweight until he was stopped by iron chinned Friday Ahunanya in November 2007. Since then he had won three in a row against very average opposition. Against Davis, who’s nine losses have included 7 by ko, Cameron has a chance to put on a show in front his loyal hometown.
Cameron, always in shape, looks exceptionally so and Davis looks…well… “soft” in the middle. Cameron looks to start the fight quickly but is caught by Davis which slows him down. The first couple of rounds are defined by Davis coming forward and looking to throw the one-two whilst Cameron pounds his soft midsection. There is a clash of heads in the second, which opens a cut between Cameron’s eyes. Davis is caught by a shot in the third but holds firm and throws in return. Cameron is just ripping the body and manages to tag Davis with another right hand. Davis looks strong, and is clearly bigger, but is getting caught with right hands that may not have an effect now but could be damaging if he doesn’t find an answer. Davis is wobbled at the end of the round but manages to survive. Round four continues along the same vein with Cameron punishing the body and occasionally catching Davis upstairs. Davis is once again hurt at the end of the round. The fifth is all Cameron who is stringing together combos and mixing it up well. Davis looks sluggish and the pounding his body has taken looks to be in effect. He no longer looks like he wants to be in the fight and clinches at every possibly moment which makes it hard for Cameron to get off. He is tough though as Cameron’s best are having limited effect. By the eighth Davis looks finished, not in a sense that he is going to be stopped but just due to the poor condition he came into this fight coupled with the hellish body attack Cameron has put on him. Davis is one shotting and it is amazing he still on his feet. In the ninth, however, he shows a renewed sense of vigor which seems to give Cameron purpose. Cameron is now intent of finishing it. The tenth shows Davis not giving any movement and Cameron throwing a heap of leather and looking for the uppercut. Davis manages to back up Cameron and wobbles him slightly. Cameron is landing the uppercut but Davis still seems unfazed. The fight is an absolute grind fest by the eleventh. Davis lands big and Cameron responds. Cameron is amazingly still bouncing on his feet and goes big on the offensive. Davis is on the ropes and not responding whilst Cameron finds enough gas to tee off and the referee calls a stop to the contest.
Cameron gets another late stoppage over another mid-level opposition. Fights like almost hurt his cause as he needed to be far more dominant. Cameron successfully defends his IBF Pan Pacific title although a prospective bout against David Tua, who was in attendance, is a far greater prize. If Cameron wants to make any kind of assault on the heavyweight division then a strong performance against David Tua and higher activity in general is needed.
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