Home >> Main Bill >> Headliners

 

Close-range Camera by KID KALIN

DEBUT: zDravko at Darebin

By MIKE C RYAN

zDravko Micevic rams hefty left through Wes Ryder’s defence. The Queenslander lasted gamely

Both swing and miss. Chas Tiger (dark blue) missed less. Chas beat Denis Arthur (light-blue) in hard semi-final.

Nigel Snart smack on lanky African. Mighty effort in ’one night’ comeback.

GEORGE Sotiropoulos drills the Townsville southpaw, Casey. Balla Bros (Metat and Nuri) had George in great shape for his pro debut - the fourth amateur turning pro this Darebin night.

HEADLINE identity, zDravko Micevic made a strong professional boxing debut to thump game Queenslander, Wes Ryder over six three-minute rounds in the main event at Darebin in north-east Melbourne on Friday April the 13th.

zDravko (the z is silent) won on the judges’ cards by 8, 8 and 7 points.

A powerful Serbian faction in the full house of 800 spectators chanted "Go - go - Mich - e - vich!", and stomped feet, as their man whaled away at Ryder.

zDravko Micevic was Australian League champion and beat Daniel Porky Lovett in his amateur career, but had been out of the boxing ring for some years. He got the scent of leather sparring with Commonwealth Games boxers a year ago.

His opponent, Wes Ryder, was announced to the Darebin audience as reigning super-heavyweight champion of Australian Global. A Queensland Global identity told FOL that Wes was not one of that organisation’s active stars.

Ryder was, however, a credit to Bananaland for the stout opposition he put up to the local hero at Darebin.

Wes was a suitable debut opponent for Micevic who will become a big drawcard if soundly - but not softly - matched.

Mark Zielinski, the Narooma shrewd man, was impressed. "I have not seen a novice punch and throw combinations off the back foot like zDravko for a long time," Ziggy enthused.

DEBUT 2: Denis Arthur

DENIS Arthur, the top-ten amateur light-heavyweight from Canberra, had a discomforting pro debut. He entered his six three-minute round bout with the Cameroun Commonwealth Games stylist, Chas Tiger, after a rushed weight shave of two stone.
Arthur broke his right hand in the second round (it’s now in a cast). The blond fighter in the light blue silks chugged on to finish loser on the judges’ cards by one point, two and four points.

DEBUT 3: George Sotiropoulos

GEORGE Sotiropoulos left the Calabria amateurs to engage Joel Casey from Townsville in his debut over six rounds at super-middleweight. George, a Balla pupil, was in tiptop condition; he surged steadily ahead of the Far North southpaw.
Casey put in a furious final round but finished behind on points.

A sort of comeback

ESKANDAR Yousef did a fine job of boxing on Emmanuel Micaleff

NIGEL Snart fought his first bout for seven years, to help out the promoter Louie Korica, Nigel’s trainer. The 1999 State lightweight champion now weighs light-middleweight. Snart gave a shifty display. He made lanky African, Jean Claude Nukfuwamba from Malawi, fan the air a lot, before Nigel lost a split decision over six rounds.
Word was, it will be Snart’s last bout.

To this observer the long gowned ring ladies were more graceful that the usual strippers. And the banquet that Korica Promotions served to four hundred table diners was copious.

HOW came Emanuel Micallef to be flown from Sydney for a three-round exhibition? Scheduled opponent Mark Quon had a shoulder injury, so the Balla boxer, Eskandser Jusef stepped up.
Eskander boxed the ears off the lad with the flapping pigtail. He wouldn’t find it so easy in an all-out.