Buchanan around Boxing

Sitting in the elegant lounge of Mike Jones' Gold Coast International hotel, speaking with a polite, well spoken young man with handsome Northern Italian features, it is hard to believe that you are interviewing heavyweight prospect, Mark de Mori, known in boxing circles as " The Dominator".

That broken nose and the scar tissue over his eyebrows are only faint trade marks although the massive shoulders stretching his fashionable long sleeve shirt, are a bit of a give away.

Mark de Mori is a big puncher, always has been. I have long contended that punchers are born not made. He had a short amateur career of eleven fights, losing only four against the best amateurs in the region. Five of his wins ended inside the distance but then amateur boxing is not made for big hitters.

Mark de Mori was born in West Australia of a Northern Italian father, Gino, a horse trainer and now racing journalist. But for a quirk of fate Mark might have been playing AFL football rather than punching opponents senseless.

Always a big lad, 81kg at age 18 and possessed of sporting balance and timing, he played Australian Rules football for, among others, the Claremont Colts.

Gino, with whom I think Mark enjoys a strong relationship, took his 14-year-old son to the local tavern one afternoon to watch Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno fight for the world heavyweight title on satellite.

Mark was hooked and, much to the skepticism of friends and family, announced that one-day he would be heavyweight champion of the world. It is now very important to Mark that he is able to prove these skeptics wrong.

He was not only impressed by Tyson's awesome punching power and hand speed but even more so by his ability to avoid being hit through upper body movement end head weaving, while remaining balanced to deliver a power response. To this day, early Mike Tyson, (the pre ear biting version), is his ring model. He is also a great admirer of Tommy Morrison.

Realizing that the amateurs were not for him and that if he was to achieve his ambitions, he would need to get even bigger and stronger, Mark took two years out and opened a gym which specialized in kick boxing and body building.
Now we see 110 kgs of sinew and muscle sitting on the 185 cm frame of the 22 year old.
That's 17 stone and 6 feet 1 inch in the old terms.

Only one of Mark's four pro fights (against Bodan Oui) has gone the distance, and I'm told that if it had gone another round, the referee would have stopped it.

On pro debut in February, he put Barry Prior out in three rounds. He despatched Chris Armstrong in the first round in April and Steve Walker fell in two rounds in May.

Mark believes as I do that referees and judges must take a stronger position on holding as it makes for unattractive boxing and besides it is supposed to be illegal. Boxing needs to be entertaining.

Mark de Mori is in Queensland on his own, and is doing it a bit tough for money. He drives a beat up old car and has just started a part time job with the Internet Café.
Under the watchful eye of experienced trainer Les Wilson, he is improving his skill level, presently working on angles. Advisor Gary Lyons is taking care of contractual, financial and promotional matters.

All agree that The Dominator is ready for a move up in competition and bout duration. In preparation for an up coming six rounder at Red Corner Promotions, Mark has been sparring eight rounds daily with hard punching contender, Nathan Briggs.
With six of Nathan's last nine fights resulting in KOs, Mark has learned to cop a few hard shots.
Barry Prior might not be the fittest fighter around but he did whack Mark with a terrific right when they met in February. Mark didn't even blink!

Mark de Mori is not too interested in accumulating championship belts and titles. He does not want to finish his career being recycled around the Gold Coast RSL fight scene.

He wants to be remembered as a great and entertaining fighter. If this can't happen he will take off and indulge his passion for cultures and languages.
First stop would be Northern Italy to explore dad Gino's origins.

I plan to be at Broncos Leagues club on 30 July. With Mark on the card, against Alex Leapai, there are bound to be fire works.
Alex won the Amateur Boxing League Australian Championship at super-heavyweight last November.

And on 17 July, the Sydney push could see Mark de Mori the Dominator, at Homebush, take out three-fight Kiwi Islander, Vai Tovai.

# Brother Eric de Mori runs a Mark de Mori web site from Perth, WA. See our Links.