Heavyweight FiteFest

*Original can be found at http://www.nzfighters.com/news.php?id=248

Heavyweight FiteFest 'Results and play by play'

Written by Craig Bailey at NZFighters.com Brought to you by Xtreme Nutrition Saturday 14 August 2010 - A.B.A Stadium An intimate crowd took cover from the blustery Auckland weather to enjoy a night of professional and amateur boxing at the Auckland Boxing Association for the Shamrock Boxing promoted ‘Heavyweight Fitefest'. Turntablist extraordinaire DJ Will worked the wheels of steel in providing a mix of skanky reggae, pop and hip-hop as the crowd steadily built. Despite some (ongoing) technical difficulties, ring announcer Manuera Riwai kicked off the event for the partisan crowd, which would include seven amateur bouts followed by three headlining professional fights. The Tohunga squared us away with the big man before the fistiana would begin. 3x2 minute rounds Bout One Welterweight Hone Nathan VS James Walker Both start the bout cautiously trying to find their distance. Nathan appears both stronger and hungrier early and generally looks to mix it up whilst Walker tries to establish his jab and not waste his punches. Nathan right hands make their mark early. Walkers reach advantage and economy start to show in the second and he keeps Nathan on the end of his jab. In the second round, Nathan manages to work his way inside where he lands a huge right hand that hurts Walker. Nathan follows up with pressure and the referee steps in to administer a standing eight count. The third round sees Walker revert back to controlling the distance with his pole-like jab. Nathan is loading up and coming forward but appears too gassed and Walker’s movement allows him to dance out of the way of any danger. By moving smartly and utilizing his reach advantage, James Walker wins the decision. 3x2 minute rounds Bout Two Heavyweight Paddy Junior Lueii VS Patrick Mailata Mailata is applying a lot of pressure early in the bout, landing with both hands. Lueii is trying to keep him off but can't either dent or deter Mailata with his mostly pawing shots. Mailata continues to bring the fight in the second round and showcases his left hand, including snapping Lueii's head back late in the round. Lueii attempts to be more proactive in the third but it is simply not enough as Mailata is landing right hands. Patrick Mailata wins a decision by both bringing the fight to Lueii and connecting with the more meaningful punches. 3x2 minute rounds Bout Three Welterweight Hirini Wikaira VS Andrew Lueii Lueii puts on a speed display early in the first before the jarring arsenal of Wikaira takes over. Wikaira dishes out powerful uppercuts and long right hands which snap Lueii's head back often. A Wikaira right hand wobbles Lueii in the second before the follow up uppercuts and right hands prompts the referee to step in to deliver a standing 8 count. Wikaira seems to have all the skills to go far and, although Lueii is still firing in the third, he is clearly outgunned and is being clubbed by right hands. In an eventful fight, Hirini Wikaira impresses enough to win a unanimous decision. 3x2 minute rounds Bout Four Middleweight Jean Pierre Dupotail VS Vegus "The Black Panther" Winters Winters sets out to control the distance and Dupotail looks wild in his attempts to get inside. He manages to do so in the second lands looping hooks, including a wild right hand that forces Winters back. Winters begins to cover more effectively in the third round but is stunned by a left hand. Smelling blood, Dupotail charges and is tagging Winters with right hands. Somehow he manages to survive but eats a looping hook before the bout ends. By having the more effective aggression, Jean Pierre Dupotail wins a unanimous decision. 3x2 minute rounds Bout Five Lightweight Rueben Webster VS Chad Milne Southpaw Webster shows good foot movement early but Milne is hard-charging and hard-punching and lands hard shots with both hands. This pattern continues in the second with Milne's aggression more than making up for the size differential and he lands a massive right hook early. Webster just has no room to move or breathe for that matter. Milne is still loading up shots with everything he has in the final round and Webster has a sense of urgency with his straight punches. By pressing the action the whole fight and landing the far hard punches Chad Milne wins a unanimous decision. 3x3 minute rounds Bout Six Middleweight Nipha Jones VS Nick Charalampous New Zealand Junior Champ Charalampous wastes no time in putting his well-schooled displays on show. He stalks Jones and lands right hands and uppercuts as well as moving his feet and head well. Even early, Jones seems a skillset below and Charalampous is showing great composure in winning every exchange. A right hand shakes Jones to his shoes which prompts the referee to deliver a standing 8 count in the second round. Even some third round aggression by Jones is eaten up by Charalampous who is overwhelming his foe and showing great timing. The referee again steps in after a clubbing overhand right from Charalampous and, by the end of the bout, Jones has been outclassed in every facet of the sport. In showing great all round skills, Nick Charalampous wins a (seemingly) easy unanimous decision. 3x3 minute rounds Bout Seven Lightweight Aung Sanda VS Angus Donaldson Donaldson looks sharp, and his defense tight, early as Sanda attempts to attack his body and slow him down. Sanda comes on in the second round as he is the busier fighter and landing right hands. Donaldson boxes well in the third and is catching Sanda coming in. His class is really starting to show. When Sanda gets inside, he does well but Donaldson just seems so much sharper. In a textbook boxing display, Angus Donaldson wins the decision. 4x3 minute rounds Professional Heavyweight Eric "No Fear" Fuimaono Hunt VS Ben Naqasima An early right hand from Fuimaono Hunt shakes Naqasima however, he appears to hurt his shoulder badly during an exchange which virtually cripples his right hand. Naqasima lands but doesn't have enough power to make his opponent respect him. Early in the second, Fuimaono uncorks two massive hooks that wobble Naqasima. Another left hook drops him clean on the seat of his pants and there is no way he is getting up. Showing great heart (in fighting through injury) and power, Eric Fuimaono Hunt earns a second round knockout victory. 4x3 minute rounds Professional Heavyweight "King" Afa Tatapu VS Junior Pati Tatapu seems huge in comparison to Pati and lands an uppercut early. Pati comes back with a dynamite overhand right that sparks off wild exchanges. Tatapu unleashes a right hand that drops Pati however he makes it back to his feet and clinches. Pati is still letting his hands go and, although he is on the wrong end of a couple of lefts, drops Tatapu on his back with a massive right hand. Tatapu beats the count but can't clear the cobwebs and Pati lands another right hand and lead hook before the referee has seen enough. In an exciting ‘fasi', Junior Pati wins by knockout in a massive upset. 6x3 minute rounds Professional Heavyweight Clarence Tillman VS Joey Wilson Wilson comes out with the clear strategy of boxing Tillman. He is never going to stop the larger bodied Tillman and uses his movement and reach to win rounds. Tillman looks far sloppier than normal and almost seems unmotivated to engage other than winging overhand rights whilst Wilson is scoring nicely with straight shots. Tillman looks frustrated as he is unable to take advantage as Wilson tires in the 5th round but bloodies his nose. Wilson boxes and moves for the remaining rounds and survives a late Tillman onslaught. In not deviating from a good strategy, Joey Wilson wins a split decision. Sponsors Shamrock Boxing, Transport Diesel and Marine, Brett Sample from NZ Boxer and Peter Grant from Maori Television would be content with the card they put on tonight. It not only showcased great youth and amateur talent but also delivered exciting heavyweight action. Hirini Wikaira showed off his raw talent in delivering punishing crosses and uppercuts whilst Nick Charalampous displayed a well-rounded skill set far beyond his years and both will only have great success in the ring. Junior Pati by far gave the most exciting performance of the night in climbing his way back from the canvas to demolish "King" Afa Tatapu and having the crowd on their feet for the entirety of the bout. Craig Bailey Contact Stacey Simpkin to order images from specific fights on Stacey@NZFighters.com Brought to you by Xtreme Nutrition Xtreme Nutrition, 116-119 Wellesley Street, Auckland CBD Xtreme Nutrition, 30 Totara avenue, New Lynn, Auckland