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'Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan
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Talentworks in association with matchmakers Fightbiz International have announced the second installment of the Southern Storm series to be held at the Dandenong Basketball Stadium in Melbourne, Australia on April 16. The six bout card will feature some of Australia's finest pugilistic talent including IBF #4 ranked middleweight Sam “King” Soliman, IBF #1 ranked flyweight Vic “Raging Bull” Darchinyan and Australian heavyweight cult hero “Big” Bob Mirovic.
Soliman will be making his third appearance in the ring for 2004 and the seventh defense of his IBF Pan Pacific Middleweight title against seasoned campaigner Nico Toriri of Indonesia. Toriri is no stranger to our shores, having battled Danny Green, Kevin Kelly and Darren Obah on Australian soil in the past. Soliman has won twelve fights on the trot since his disputed loss to Anthony Mundine with his last three victories coming by way of stoppage. With Soliman's next fight scheduled to take place in the USA under the auspices of his stateside promoter Dan Goossen for the IBF number one position, a victory here is imperative. Toriri will be eager to circumvent Soliman's world title aspirations.
Darchinyan is looking to stay busy against tough Indonesian Falzona Fidal while he waits for his opportunity to challenge Columbian knockout artist Irene Pacheco for his IBF flyweight championship, a bout that is tentatively scheduled to take place next month. A savage puncher with knockout drops in either hand, the Armenian born southpaw is a pocket dynamo who fully deserves the moniker “Raging Bull”.
Fireworks are expected when former Australian junior welterweight champion Steve Marks attempts to avenge his 2002 stoppage loss to the man who relieved him of his national crown, former Sydney Olympian Fred Kinuthia. Kinuthia is no pushover and has shared the square circle with numerous quality opponents including world class operators Philip Holiday, Lovemore Ndou and Junior Witter as well as former domestic champions Naoufel Ben Rabah and Michael Katsidis.
Tim Bell will face Brown Enyi in what promises to be an explosive contest at the middleweight limit. Both fighters are coming off losses and will be keen to see their name posted in the winners' column. The rugged Bell may have his work cut out for him against Enyi, who has substantially more professional experience and has faced some high quality opposition including PABA champion Stuart Moller, Australian champion Sakio Bika, IBF Pan Pacific Light heavyweight Champion Jason Delisle and PABA Light heavyweight Champion Paul Murdoch.
Also on the card will be crowd favourite “Big” Bob Mirovic squaring off against New Zealand's Bob Gasio in a heavyweight battle scheduled for six rounds. In another six round bout junior welterweight Lance Gostellow will be looking to keep his unbeaten record intact with win number three against the infamous TBA.
The first Southern Storm was a cracker of a night and fight fans can expect more of the same on April 16. Tickets prices range from $50 to $170 and are available from Ticketmaster7 by phoning 13 6100. For table bookings, phone 0417 888 188. Get in quick because this event is expected to sell out.
Ndou Headlines at Panthers World of Entertainment
Blaster Promotions have put together another exciting eight fight card set to take place at Sydney's new Mecca of boxing, Panthers World of Entertainment in Penrith, on April 16.
Headlining the card will be IBF #6 / WBC #10 Lovemore Ndou making his third ring appearance for 2004 as he defends his IBF Pan Pacific Junior Welterweight title against unbeaten Brazilian Antonio Mesquita. Ndou's five fight win streak was brought to a halt in February of this year when he stepped in on short notice for the injured Kostya Tszyu and dropped a disputed points decision to Sharmba Mitchell for the IBF Interim Junior Welterweight championship over twelve hotly contested rounds.
31 year-old Mesquita is a heavy-handed fighter who will be looking to take Ndou out early. The Brazilian banger has 21 knockouts in 28 contests with all of his stoppage victories coming before the seventh round. This fight is not expected to go the distance.
In the main support bout talented former Australian cruiserweight champion Lawrence Tauasa will do battle against American Troy Beets for the vacant IBF Pan Pacific title. A gifted boxer with decent power, Tauasa has fought Australia's best cruiserweights and has won his last seven bouts. Beets, a 29 year-old southpaw fighting out of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, has been in the ring with heavyweight prospects Malcolm Tann and Roman Greenburg.
IBF Pan Pacific Champion Jason Delisle will defend his belt against 37 fight veteran Justin Clements. The tough-as-nails Delisle has won two on the trot since suffering only his second loss at the hands of current WBC Interim Super Middleweight Champion Danny Green back in June of last year. Clements, who turned professional in 1991, holds a respectable record of 28-7-2 (7 KO’s).
Also on the card Chris Hamilton will do battle with Gary Comer for the vacant Australian Junior Middleweight title. Unbeaten in five professional contests, Hamilton was originally slated to fight on the same date in Toowoomba on Uppercut Promotion's “Triple Treat” card, but was unable to secure an opponent. Southpaw Comer will be the toughest test of Hamilton’s short career.
Rounding out the card will be an eight round super middleweight stoush between Brett Culey and Allen Rellish; a lightweight eight rounder featuring Johnny Shiffiraw and American Richard Best; a six round welterweight contest between Craig Parke and Rueben Martyn; and a junior welterweight battle between Mick Mlacic and Filipino Arnel Porras also over six rounds.
Ticket prices start at $45.00 and can be purchased directly from Panthers World of Entertainment by phoning 1800 061 991. Table bookings can be made by calling Roy Alexander on 0414 512 101 or Tony Caradonna on 0402 766 511.
“Triple Treat” in Toowoomba Postponed
The 'Triple Treat' card originally scheduled for Friday, April 16 at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba, Queensland has been postponed. The show was to feature brothers Mick and Matt Shaw, along with former amateur standout Chris Hamilton, all in Queensland title fights. Hamilton was removed from the card when the opportunity arose to fight for the Australian junior middleweight title. The fight night was still set to go ahead, but when Mick Shaw injured his hand at work, Uppercut Promotions decided to postpone the event rather than offer a sub-standard card.
“Uppercut Promotions are disappointed to announce the postponement, however to remain true to our goal of offering quality boxing events utilising local fighters, it was decided that with two of the three main events being sidelined it was the best option available,” said Glenn Azar, spokesman for Uppercut Promotions who contacted Doghouse Boxing.
A new date is expected to be announced shortly and all tickets that have already been sold will be honoured on the night.
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© Copyrights / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2004
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By Anthony Cocks (April 6, 2004) 
