Boxing In Australia: Green, Zappavinga, Cameron Victorious This Week

ByBoxing Press

Two good fight cards this week Down Under with big names such as Danny Green, Paul Briggs, Lenny Zappavinga, Shane Cameron, William Kickett and Daniel Amman all seeing action.

Former WBC light heavyweight title challenger Paul Briggs ended a three year retirement when he faced IBO cruiserweight king Danny Green on Wednesday at Perth’s Challenge Stadium but the highly anticipated clash never quite developed into the barnburner it was expected to become.

Instead, Briggs showed up seven pounds overweight and went down from a jab to the top of the head, the first punch landed in the contest, failing to beat the count at just 0:29 of the first round.

Possibly showing the effects of his three year layoff, two withering WBC light heavy title bouts with current heavyweight contender Tomas Adamek and Green’s massive punch power, Briggs will likely retire with a 26-4 (18) record.

Green improves to 30-3 (27), making his third IBO title defense, none of which have gone past three frames, since returning from his own hiatus in April of last year.

Ex-regional heavyweight beltholder Shane Cameron, 25-2 (20), made it two in a row following his KO loss last year to David Tua by outpointing former Australian cruiserweight king Danniel Ammann, 19-4-1 (4), in a tough ten round bout.

Cameron weighed in at just six pounds above the cruiserweight limit, the lightest of his eight year pro career.

One-time hot prospect in the super feather division, William Kickett, 17-2 (5), continued his own comeback following knockout losses in 2008 and 2009, handing Jack Asis, 21-15-4 (10), a six round points drubbing at lightweight.

Kickett was thought of as the top pound for pound domestic up and comer before getting knocked out in one by Ahmed Elomar in Gosford in 2008 and then traveling to America last year and suffering the same fate in the sixth against highly touted US prospect Adrien Broner.

Kickett’s former standing is now held by lightweight, Leonardo Zappavinga, 24-0 (16), who holds the IBO title and fought yesterday at the Assyrian Sports and Culture Club in Fairfield Heights.

Facing Zappavinga in the non-title ten rounder was Indonesian veteran Billy Sumba, 18-2-1 (4), who was knocked out in the second round and has now gone 1-2-1 in his last four appearance after winning his first 14 contests.

Zappavinga could be heading into a huge domestic clash with hard-nosed WBO Interim champion Michael Katsidis.