Sad night for small Sam

 

MIKE C RYAN sees it

That a good big man will beat a good little man was shown once again last night at Sydney Entertainment Centre. Anthony Mundine claimed the vacant WBA super-middleweight (12 stone) title by way of the cruelest thrashing of Sam Soliman, a mere 11 ½ stone middleweight, and a smallish one at that.

The WBA title was vacant since Mikkel Kessler shifted alphabet tables to take the WBC belt, KO 3 Markus Beyer, in October. Interestingly Denmark is billing his defence against Librado Andrade in Denmark March 24 as for WBC and WBA titles . . will Anthony be ready to dispute the latter.

Another test for the modest Man exists in the presence of the Welsh super-middle, Joe Calzaghe. Southpaw Calzaghe made 19 successful defences of the IBF belt, and is now the WBO holder after whipping Jeff Lacy.

Calzaghe’s manager, Frank Warren could probably offer more moolah than Mundine’s novice manager, Khoder Nasser could get elsewhere.

But back to Mundine’s riskless riot at Sydney Entertainment Centre. The Mundine we knew, who used to back off fast, was gone. He went relentlessly forward planting hurtful straight punches. His high guarding blocked almost everything Soliman threw back. The swaying, swinging Sam of the hundreds of punches could hardly land one.

In round two a terrific punch sent Sam down, close to dreamland.

I since heard it suggested that Mundine did not try to finish Sam early, for consideration of the big paying crowd. We saw Mundine one night in Victoria carry spent Lester Ellis a bit, after a knockdown came too soon.

Probably not this time.

Mundine II showed no mercy handing out hits to the small Victorian.

The super-middle in his white and blue trunks and blue boots fought masterfully, the small man in bullring red was dogged as a little bull and was stabbed as often.

Mundine landed either hand with deadly accuracy; Sam’s seemingly short arms couldn’t get past blocking shoulders or gloves.

In round nine Mundine put him down three times and the referee from RSA, Sam Christodoulou, called tko 9.

Sam knelt head bowed, probably dropping a tear, but came up later the usual smiling Sam, the good Christian thanking the Lord Jesus for giving him a shot at a world title.

Can he at 33 expect a shot in his real division? The middleweight belt men are Jermain Taylor WBC and WBO; Javier Castillejo, age 39 this month, of Spain , WBA; and Arthur Abraham who beat our Shannan Taylor over 12 in Germany a year ago, IBF.

When Soliman was trying to fight Jermain two years ago the American wanted nothing of him.

Castillejo would be the easiest and the WBA-Australia tie might remain intact despite Sam’s crash. Javier was stopped by an Argentino in December but kept the WBA middleweight title on his conqueror’s disqualification for drugs.

A Kiwi eye-catcher

NOT TO GO without a mention of the Kiwi heavyweight, Shane Cameron. As seen on the big screens in the Grand Hotel, Mornington, crewcut Cameron is New Zealand’s first, best potential heavyweight contender since Tom Heeney fought Gene Tunney.

Opponent Bob Mirovic is an international class heavy. Bob swelled Shane’s left cheek, cut his right eyebrow. Shane‘s right fist was damaged, reportedly broken, and he had to rely on straight lefts.

Half way through their scheduled 12-rounder. Faces only a foot apart, Cameron launched a very tight left hook, angled tighter than right angle. Mirovic didn’t know what hit him. He didn’t even catch a glimpse and crashed on his back unconscious.

“When you hit someone good you can normally feel it,” said Cameron, seemingly surprised by the result.

Try that one again, Shane, and every other ringman. From eyeball range.

Cameron has won all his 18, 16 by KO. He and gym friend, Mark De Mori, are great potential marquee figures.

 

JOHN MURPHY comments:

Heres' my thoughts on Mundine-Soliman the morning after.

I don't think his knockout of a clearly over-the-hill Sam Soliman puts any feather in Anthony Mundine's cap.

Neither does The Man himself, for he indicated today that he might go down to middleweight for better fights . . and if nothing promising there, could go back to rugby. No mention by him after his ninth round stoppage of Sam, about a possible Green rematch..

 

BOB DRANE observes:

BEFORE Mundine-Soliman, I predicted a stoppage in nine or ten. I knew Mundine wouldn't land with combos as much as he did against a Green, but single, fast, hard punches would catch up with a much lighter-framed man. Looking back at their first fight, no-one mentioned that it was at Middleweight. Sam is almost light-middle, certainly not super-middleweight. Last night he looked fragile from the beginning.

Mundine looked fantastic, inexorable, an unstoppable tide. He monstered Sam, whose shoeshine-boy buffing proved utterly ineffectual. Mundine's punching has zeroed in now. He's much more accurate, and at his speed he's a very dangerous proposition for anyone. BUT...he fights differently against tall men with a punch.

Although he dominated Danny Green, he did so by maintaining his distance. His jabs got through, and he opened Danny up over time. Siaca had a punch, and Kessler had punch and great arm defence that Mundine couldn't unlock. Maybe Anthony is more experienced now, and knows how to get through. But Kessler can hurt him, and so might Calzaghe, if they ever fight.

The performance against Soliman was impressive, it made The Man look like a monster, and people will carry this impression into his next fight - probably Kessler. That would be a mistake. He will fight backing up, and will be wary of Kessler's punch. These factors led to his previous loss to Kessler, and to his loss to Siaca. He becomes more tentative if he knows he can be hurt.

In fact, he pre-empts pain and clams up.

HOWEVER, Mundine is a much-improved fighter, even since the Kessler loss. He's in control of his substantial gifts now, and the kayo loss to Ottke (December 2001) seems to have been an aberration brought about by fatigue, inexperience and lack of confidence - or was it really just one soft punch to the temple? That remains a mystery. His whiskers have been more sorely tested since, and he's come through with confidence and consciousness intact.

Memo Anthony: Have you thought that the Australian public WANT to support you? Maybe deliberately arousing their enmity, then "sticking it up" your enemies, is your fuel, your motivation. If so, fine. Every fighter needs some "mongrel". If this fiction helps you to win world titles, maybe you should keep it.

But don't mistake it for universal reality. Your generalisations will alienate potential fans. Don't complain when it does.