Boxing In Australia: Pittman, Oganov, Dib Headline Thursday Fight Card

The fights returns to Oz in a big way this Thursday as Grange Old School Boxing puts on a good show this Thursday at Le Montage Bayside Events Centre in the western Sydney suburb of Lilyfield.

Headlining the evening is a clash for the vacant IBF Australasian super middle crown between experienced southpaw Jamie Pittman, 19-1 (8), and Ghana born hard man Joseph Kwadjo, 13-1 (9).

Gosford man Pittman previously held the Australian super middle belt in 2006 after knocking out Les Sherrington but reached his greatest heights as a middleweight, capturing the PABA, WBO Asia Pacific and WBA Pan African belts before getting stopped in the seventh during an unsuccessful bid for Felix Sturm’s WBA title on German soil in 2008.

Since that time the 28 year old Pittman has won three straight, including an eight round points verdict over Josh Clenshaw, but hasn’t been in the ring in nine months.

24 year old Kwadjo turned pro in Ghana as an 18 year old light middle, suffering the sole loss of his career in his debut before stringing along 13 consecutive victories.

Starting in 2008, Kwadjo has fought exclusively in New Zealand, Fiji and Somoa, picking up the little known UBO Intercontinental super middle strap with a 12 round decision against Zulfikar Joy Ali in December during his most recent clash.

Pittman has definitely faced the better opposition in this matchup with Kwadjo but must use his height and southpaw stance to keep the shorter African at a distance.

For his part, Kwadjo has to slip Pittman’s jab to get inside and relentlessly pressure the local man if he is to walk away with the IBF Australasian title belt around his waist.

The chief support bout sees two big punchers come together with the Australian super middle title at stake.

Reigning champ Michael Bolling, 11-0 (9), won the vacant domestic crown in December by outpointing prospect Serge Yannick and made the first defense a good one when his opponent Joel Bourke suffered a RTD in the seventh last month.

Bolling will step up a great deal in class in facing Victor Oganov, 30-3 (28), who began his career in Russia and previously held the WBO Asia Pacific and PABA super middle titles.

Oganov has faced two world class fighters but didn’t fare well, suffering stoppage losses to Fulgencio Zuniga for the IBO title in 2007 and Andre Dirrell for the Interim NABO belt in 2008.

The 33 year old slugger followed the Dirrell defeat by engaging in three bouts during the Australian Contender TV series, narrowly winning against unbeaten prospect Junior Talipeau, defeating Sonni Michael Angelo on points before experiencing a close but shocking majority decision loss to unheralded novice Garth Wood, who went onto win the tournament.

When the bell rings for Bolling vs. Oganov, expect the bombs to fly as this one won’t likely go the distance and whoever can gain the early initiative will likely emerge the Australian champ.

Ex-WBO featherweight title challenger Billy Dib, 25-1 (13), will be looking for his fourth win on the bounce as he meets Filipino import Reynaldo “Boy of Steel” Belandres, 13-1-2 (8), who dropped a WBC Youth featherweight title clash against Davey Browne this past October, in an eight rounder.