Fletcher beats Mwetupunga, but Ramadan and Graf steal the show
 By Anthony Cocks at ringside, Doghouse Boxing (Feb 25, 2012) Doghouse Boxing (Photos © Louie Abigail)
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Jarrod “Left Jab” Fletcher 11-0 (7)
is the new Australian middleweight champion after wresting the
national title from Johannes “Tito” Mwetupunga 11-3 (5) on a
points decision at the Melbourne Pavilion on Friday night, but it was
the main support bout featuring female bantamweights Susie “Q”
Ramadan and Alesia “The Tigress” Graf that stole the Fox Sports
televised show.
Mwetupunga, who has made Australia his
home after competing for Namibia in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in
Melbourne, was making the fifth defence of the title he won against
Jason Hartmann in 2010. Fletcher, a Commonwealth Games
representative himself and gold medallist in 2006, was taking his
first genuine step up in class as a professional after cutting his
teeth on the usual suspects for his first ten fights.
Both boxers started cautiously,
spending the first two rounds gauging distance with their jabs and
generally feeling each other out. Fletcher made his move in the
third, opening up on Mwetupunga early and backing the defending champ
onto the ropes. Displaying a good kit of punches and lateral
movement, Fletcher was able to slip Mwetupunga’s snaking jab and
pick his shots before sliding out of harms way.
By the mid-rounds Fletcher was in full
control. His jab was perfectly timed, his hook deceptive and quick,
and his right hand deadly accurate. To his credit Mwetupunga kept
coming forward behind his long jab, but the evasive Fletcher was in
his rhythm and able to counter effectively.
In the seventh the constant movement
seemed to be catching up with Fletcher, who became a little more
stationary. It was enough to make the round a little closer, but
Fletcher never relinquished control as he pot-shotted Mwetupunga from
the outside. The eighth and ninth rounds saw Fletcher take his foot
off the gas, allowing Mwetupunga back into the fight with his
conservative punch output.
In the tenth and final round both
boxers let their hands go in an effort to put their stamp on the
fight, emptying their tanks as they went. In the end Fletcher’s
versatility was too much for Mwetupunga and the scorecards provided
an accurate picture of the fight. 96-94, 98-92 and 97-93, all for
the new Australian middleweight champion Jarrod Fletcher.
In the fight of the night world class
bantamweights Susie “Q” Ramadan 22-1 (8) and Alesia “The
Tigress” Graf 25-3 (10) went to war over ten fast-paced two minute
rounds for the vacant WBC International female 118 pound strap.
The bout was fought at a frenetic pace,
with the 3 inch taller Graf displaying quick hands and a rapier jab
while Ramadan bobbed and weaved her way inside to unleash her
combination counter attack. The mood of the meeting was apparent in
the second round when a late shot by Graf on the break was returned
in kind.
With very little between them entering
the fourth, Graf gradually started taking over. Graf’s focus on
the body continued and she was able to outmuscle Ramadan on the
inside, with the popular local getting a little sloppy in her attack.
Graf got the better of the early going in the sixth, but Ramadan
landed perhaps her best punches of the night – a left, right combo
– just before the bell to finish the round strongly. This seemed
to inspire Ramadan, who dominated the first minute of the sixth with
smart offense, slick defence and clever counters. Graf took over in
the second half, punishing Ramadan’s mid-section but not quite
doing enough to edge the round.
It was bombs away in the seventh and
eighth with both women showing their mettle and class. Graf’s
stiff jab and body attack was met with three- four- and five-punch
flurries from Ramadan to make for closely contested rounds. Early in
the ninth Ramadan backed Graf up, pounding on her in the red corner
and landing an eye-catching left-right late in the round.
Near the beginning of the tenth and
final round, an unintentional headclash opened up a cut above Graf’s
left eye that leaked claret for the remainder of the fight. The
blood seemed to bother Graf and gave Ramadan the ascendancy as she
rallied to close the show in front of the parochial crowd.
When the dust settled the judges could
barely separate them. A 96-94 card for Ramadan was countered with a
96-94 for Graf, with the deciding vote giving the fight to Ramadan by
the slightest of margins, 96-95.
A rematch would not disappoint.
Earlier in the night middleweight Rocky
Jerkic 3-0 (2) scored and impressive first round KO of Dinesh Kanth
2-2 (2) in a scheduled six round bout. Kanth rushed from his corner
at the opening bell and swarmed Jerkic with quick-fisted bombs.
Jerkic showed composure to hold his ground and pick his spots to
counter, landing a sweet left hook on the button that dropped Kanth
to the canvas. With Kanth rattled, Jerkic closed the show. A double
left hook to the jaw followed up by a right hand, left hook brought
the curtain down at 0:52 of the first. Although just three fights
into his pro career, Jerkic is fast becoming one to watch.
Cruiserweight Oscar Siale 14-11 (4)
sprung the upset on Kane Watts 7-1 (3), ending a four fight losing
streak. Watts looked uncomfortable throughout the contest and
southpaw Siale took advantage, controlling the ring and dictating the
action from the second round on to win a comfortable points decision
over six.
In off-TV results, junior welterweight
Matt Lytwynenko 6-0 (4) was simply too strong for Neil Gysbers 0-1-1,
rocking him with a big right hand midway through the first and
finishing the job at 2:21 of the round. Light heavyweight Paul Watson
was impressive on debut, winning every round against southpaw Stavros
Karanicolas 1-7 (1) en route to a fourth round stoppage.
Write for Doghouse Boxing, e-mail Anthony at: anthonyc1974@gmail.com.
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