Australian Boxing Buzz!

Former WBA light-heavyweight champion Danny Green insists a lucrative re-match with Anthony Mundine is still firmly on the cards, despite recent comments from the former two-time WBA super-middleweight champion. Mundine stated last week that he preferred to campaign in the middleweight division for the near future, targeting Kelly Pavlik, Arthur Abraham and Felix Sturm. He is currently ranked WBA#1 for Sturm’s 160 pound title and takes on IBO middleweight champion Daniel Geale in Brisbane on May 27th. The 36-year-old Green told the Sydney Morning Herald, “The only reason he is trying to put the fight off is because he’s obviously worried about my power at light-heavyweight but it is 100% that the fight will take place. What you’ve got to understand is that the brains of the outfit with Anthony Mundine is with (his manager) Khoder Nasser and I think if you were to ask Khoder whether the fight would take place it would be a resounding yes. Financially, there is no bigger fish to fry than me.” Green (25-3, 22KO’s) makes the first fight in his comeback when he takes on South African Anthony van Nierkierk (21-6-1, 13KO’s) at the Challenge Stadium in Perth on 26th April. The fight can be seen on a PPV basis in Australia from 7pm EDT via Main Events.

On the undercard of the Perth event sees the return of top Australian super featherweight prospect William Kickett (13-1, 5KO’s) who is seen by many experts as one of Australia’s brightest prospects. He takes on Indonesian fighter Moses Seran (20-12, 10KO’s) over six rounds. The 22 aboriginal boxer from Balga, Perth comes off his first professional defeat when he was stopped by Ahmed Elomar inside a round in November 2008. He is promoted by Danny Green’s promotional company Green Machine Promotions and trained by Craig Christian at the Balcatta Gym in Perth. This is the base of WBA featherweight champion Chris John and Christian believes the defeat last year could be a blessing in disguise. He stated, “The defeat by Elomar showed Willie that he needs to work on his defence and keep his hands up. He is a great prospect and will return stronger for this experience. I am still convinced he will be a future world champion.”

Also on the undercard former IBF super featherweight champion Gairy St. Clair (41-9-2, 18KO’s) takes on Jackson Asiku (23-3, 12KO’s) of Uganda, over ten rounds as the chief support to the main event. Asiku is the current Australian and Commonwealth featherweight champion and is on a winning run of twelve fights and is unbeaten since February 2004. The fight is a return of their 2003 fight when St.Clair won a unanimous decision over eight rounds in Sydney, New South Wales.

It is reported by Fox News that heavyweight John Hopoate (11-2, 11KO’s) will travel to the US to take on former WBC Heavyweight Champion Oliver McCall (51-9, 36KO’s) in Las Vegas on May 22nd. The 34 year old from Tonga comes off a fourth round stoppage of Cliff Couser in Brookvale, New South Wales in March and is confident he can progress up the heavyweight rankings. The fight with McCall will be held at the Orleans Casino and will be for the IBA heavyweight title.