McConville Upsets Lovett for Australian Light Heavyweight Title
By Anthony Cocks at ringside, DoghouseBoxing.com (March 3, 2010) Photos © Werner Kalin  
Queenslander Shane McConville scored the biggest win of his short pro career when he travelled to Cranbourne in Victoria to defeat popular local boxer Daniel “Porky” Lovett to claim the vacant Australian light heavyweight title by majority decision at the Cranbourne Racetrack on Saturday night.

In front of 2,500 hostile fans McConville, 174 ¾ pounds, showed poise and skill to outwork the hometown hero over ten fast-paced rounds by scores of 98-94, 97-93 and 95-95.

McConville, who hails from the outback town of Chinchilla four hours drive west of Brisbane, was a $2.20 underdog going in to the fight but fought like he already held the national title.

After a close opening round 26 year-old Lovett, 172 ½ pounds, had some success raking the lanky body of the 6’ 1 ½” McConville, but the 25 year-old “Shadow Shaker” kept his composure and used his long left hand to good effect. On the inside, where the bullish and aggressive Lovett normally does his best work, McConville was regularly able to get off first and last.

In the fifth an accidental clash of heads opened a cut above McConville’s left eye, spilling blood down his chest. Sensing an opportunity, Lovett went in for the kill but the savvy Queenslander held his ground and saw out the round.

With his corner imploring him to let him hands go throughout the second half of the fight, Lovett appeared strangely subdued. Despite Lovett’s attempts to rally in the eighth, ninth and tenth rounds, McConville seemingly had an answer for everything thrown at him. In the final round another headclash re-opened a gash on Lovett’s forehead that occurred during sparring and both men ended the fight spattered in blood.

“To lose an Australian title in your home town, it’s heartbreaking,” said a dejected Lovett after the fight.

Lovett stopped work as a concreter to concentrate on his preparation for the fight, even employing a personal trainer to get him in the best shape of his life.

“I was fit, I had a good prep, maybe not the longest prep I would have liked because a few cuts cost me some sparring, but not enough to make an excuse out of.

“I walked in there confident and I walked out not having done enough.”

With the win McConville moves to 4-0-4, a deceptive record considering that two of his draws were of the technical variety after headclashes in the first three rounds ended these bouts early, while the other two draws can be considered disputed.

Former world rated super middleweight Lovett drops to 18-5 (10) and must now consider retirement after a successful and crowd pleasing career.

Undercard Results

Omari Kimweri 6-2 (3) destroyed Matt Meredith 3-7-1 (1) at 0:51 of the first round to record a TKO stoppage for the vacant Australian flyweight title.

Welterweight Samuel Colomban 15-3 (7) dominated journeyman Junmar Dulog 5-19-2 (2), cutting up the Filipino and stopping him at 0:47 of the fourth. Colomban was ahead on all cards 30-27 at the time of the stoppage.

Super bantamweight Daniel Iannazzo 16-0 (5) was too slick for Lertsila Singmanasak 5-7 (2), battering the hapless Thai to a fifth round TKO of a scheduled six. Time was 0:24.

Ben Costello 5-3-1 (3) slugged out a close six round decision against Aswin Cabuy 11-15-1 (4) at middleweight. Scores at the conclusion were 59-56, 59-55 and 58-56.

In an upset to open the night, “Big” Pat Rullo 9-2-1 (1) came off second best against well-travelled Filipino southpaw Rey Anton Olarte 10-12-3 (1) at junior middleweight, losing a six round decision by scores of 59-57 and 58-56 twice.

Heavyweight Justin Whitehead 4-0 (2), best know for defeating former rugby league player Solomon Haumono 17-1-1 (15) over ten rounds in August last year, was forced to withdraw from the card after suffering a shoulder injury in sparring. He was scheduled to fight nig punching American Ed Mahone.

Cruiserweight Kane Watts 4-0 (3) was also scheduled to appear on the card but was forced out after suffering a fractured cheekbone in sparring.

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