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OMOTOSO UHINGES SOUTH KOREAN SOUTHPAW STAR

A GIANT year of high-class professional boxing packaged by Blackburn Fighters Factory promoter Murray Thomson in 2009 came to stunning conclusion at Fort Knox, on November 27, when Australia welterweight champion “Lucky Boy” Oyewale Omotoso crushed accomplished South Korean southpaw Hwan-Young Park inside three rounds. A peach of a right hand over the top high on the cheekbone dropped the South Korean for the full count. The power of “Lucky Boy” had shaken up Young seconds before when two uppercuts had hit him right on the button. The sellout crowd of 1950 rose to the feet in appreciation of Lucky Boy’s awesome power!

It was mere formality for respected Filipino-based world championship referee Bruce McTavish to count to 10. “Waalie’s” reward was the Orient and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) welterweight crown and dramatic rise up the WBC world rankings. Omotoso had tipped the scales at the official weigh-in at the Manhattan Hotel at (66.35) while long and lean Young had come in at (66.40). It climaxed a dynamic 12 months of boxing for Omotoso which included a ninth round stoppage over US cult figure Emanuel Augustus on August 21, a first round stoppage of Surabaya Province’s Darsim Nang-gala on May 22 and a first round blowout of  Indonesia’s Jamed “Jimmy” Jurante on March 20.

Omotoso was awesome in all the three battles unloading unbelievable power. He has a log of (15-0-13Kos) and he has gained the respect of Australia’s greatest trainer Sydney’s Johnny Lewis. An inductee in the Australian National Boxing Hall of Fame, Mr Lewis said Omotoso’s coach Murray Thomson had done an impeccable job preparing his charge since he came to Australia from Lagos, Nigeria on a permanent basis in late 2007. Lewis said Omotoso had brought a breath of fresh to the Australian boxing scene. “This kid can go all the way to the top of the boxing tree,” Lewis said. He’s given boxing a real shot in the arm. He should be ranked in the world top 10 mid-way through next year.” Lewis who has trained five world champions said Omotoso should stick firm and not listen to talk about joining another stable or promotional team.

SUSIE Q RAMADAN ON TOP OF THE WORLD

TEAM Brizzi coached Susie Q. Ramadan created a piece of history becoming the first Victorian female fighter to win a world professional title. She claimed the vacant World Boxing Foundation (WBF) super-bantamweight crown with a ninth round stoppage of Thai southpaw Jub-Jang-Look-Mak-Arm-Wan. Referee Wayne Ashdown waved it off after 1min 49 seconds of the scheduled 10 round match after the Thai fighter had copped three heavy shots to the jaw. Ramadan (59.90) and Arm-Wan (51.95) worked at a busy pace with Susie Q dominating the exchanges. Ramadan, 30, the reigning OPBF and Australian super-bantamweight title holder lifted her record to (12-0-5Kos). She received her championship belt from WBF chairman Mick Croucher. Ramadan was mobbed in centre ring by her coaching team headed by Ben Brizzi snr, Cos, Sammy and Ben Brizzi jnr, Ronnie Marasco and Julie Ramadan.

TITO PUTS BITE ON PITBULL

FIGHTERS Factory super-middleweight Johannes “Tito” Mwetupunga and Lilydale coached Manny “The Great Pitbull” Vlamis turned on a war for sure in their scheduled eight round match. The bout came to a sudden halt after 1min 55 seconds of the sixth round after Vlamis crashed through the lower ropes after copping a volley of head and body shots. Referee Tony Maretta had earlier given Vlamis a standing eight count after he wobbled across the ring like a drunken sailor from a series of head shots. “Tito” had come in at (75.90) while Vlamis coached by Brian Levier had tipped in at (75.80). Mwetupunga is slotted in at No.5 in the latest World of Boxing rankings. He stepped back into centre ring before the main event to accept the award as the best preliminary fighter on the card.

MEATHEAD GOES BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

GREENVALE’S fast moving southpaw Blake Caparello claimed the vacant Victorian light-heavyweight crown with a six round stoppage of Fighters Factory’s Adelaide recruit Dennis “Meathead” Okcal.

Caparello (78.80) worked behind a stiff left jab against courageous Okcal (79.30) wearing him down before Murray Thomson declared enough-is-enough. Caparello who had Sam La Bruna, Louis Korica and Stewie Swale in the corner turned to professional boxing after a Boxing Vic Inc amateur log of (6-3) earlier in 2009. He has accounted for Kiwi Joshua Tai, Adelaide’s Dean Ross and Okcal. Caparello collected the Bob Johnson Memorial most courageous fighter award in centre ring later in the evening.

TAI STOPS DALE CHARTER

KIWI cruiserweight Joshua Tai (84.60) scored his first victory at the expense of Reservoir southpaw Dale Charter (81.30). Charter who came back from a serious work related injury to his right hand went down twice in the second round and it was stopped after 54 seconds had elapsed. After the bout Charter’s father Adrian said his son had felt off color before the bout after taking medication for a virus. Charter is coached by legendary mentor Greg Grogan a long time colleague of Murray Thomson.

EMERY THE CROWD PLEASER

POPULAR New Zealand veteran Manu “Tony” Emery won over the crowd with a generous address to the crowd after repeating an earlier points win over Paul Fyfield coach Bash Sinner in the opening match over four rounds. Emery who is 42 scaled at (58kg even). He hails from Hamilton in the North Island tends to bushes and plants during the day before heading to the gym. Sinner conceded weight at (57.50). Judge Aneeka Williams tabulated it at 40-35 while

Gus Mecurio and Andrew Campbell both had it 39-37. Mercurio, 81, announced his retirement from officiating at future Victorian fight programs after a 40-year reign. The commentators for the show were former Australian welterweight champion Frank “The Tank” Ropis and heavyweight prospect Justin Nolan.

FIGHTERS FACTORY’S SPONSORSHIP

MURRAY Thomson thanked his major corporate sponsors for their great support of his 54^th program and across the whole year. They included Brian Johnson and Mick Loveridge, Rick Breese and Melissa Pavlovic form Eltham’s Shadow Boxer Gym, K-Line Moble Mechanics, Casey Sports Centre-Cranbourne, MC Labor Services-Nick Neophitou, John Sellars-Oakwood Kitchens and the Victorian Plumbers’ Union.

MURRAY AND AMANDA’S BABY LOVE

MURRAY Thomson and his partner former Queenslander Amanda Tully celebrated the birth of their first child Alarna Linda at 2am on November 24, only a couple of days before the big show at Fort Knox. “It was a wonderful personal experience for Amanda and I,” Murray said. “To top off a sleepless week with Omotoso’s great win was sensational.”

*Watch this space for the next big Murray Thomson boxing show in 2010. His next show will be bigger, brighter and provide heaps of action- packed boxing.