Diaz shocks Zappavigna, Caparello passes Kwadjo test
 By Anthony Cocks at ringside, Doghouse Boxing (Aug 8, 2011) Doghouse Boxing (Photos © Werner Kalin)
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Former
world title challenger Leonardo Zappavigna 25-2 (17) suffered a shock
5th round TKO at the heavy hands of Panamanian underdog Ameth Diaz 30-10
(21) in an IBF lightweight title eliminator at the Melbourne Pavilion
in Melbourne, Australia on Friday night.
In
front of a capacity crowd the 23 year-old Zappavigna of Sydney
started fast, backing up Diaz in the opening round with raking body
shots, but the gutsy Panamanian was able to tag Zappavigna coming in
hard shots to the head. During a competitive
second stanza, IBF #6 Diaz landed a jolting right cross to the jaw of
the bull-rushing Zappavigna, sitting him down on the seat of his
pants. Zappavigna survived the count to rally back in the third,
backing Diaz up to the ropes and ripping off body shots and right
hands to the head.
In
a back-and-forth fourth round, both boxers laid hands on each other –
Zappavigna with right hands and left rips, Diaz with the left hook
and uppercut – but it was Diaz whose punches seemed to be doing the
greater damage.
The
two way action continued in the fifth round until Diaz turned
Zappavigna into a right hand that momentarily buckled his legs.
Sensing his opportunity Diaz laid it on thick and fast, bludgeoning
the IBF #4 to the canvas with a two-fisted assault. With Zappavigna
slumped on the canvas, his left arm draped over the second-bottom
rope and blood leaking from a cut above his left eye, trainer Tommy
Mercuri leapt into the ring to halt the fight and save his charge
from any further punishment.
With
the win 28 year-old Diaz not only lived up to his nickname
“Cloroformo”,
but is also expected to be installed as the number one contender to
IBF titleholder Miguel Vazquez’s crown. For Zappavigna it’s back
to the drawing board, but at just 23 years old he can still have a
bright future in the sport.
In
the main support bout popular local fighter Blake Caparello 9-0-1 (4)
won the vacant OPBF interim light heavyweight title with a unanimous
decision over iron-chinned Ghanan Joseph Kwadjo 20-5 (15) over twelve
rounds. The scores of 116-112, 117-111 and 119-109 didn’t reflect
the competitiveness of the bout, with Kwadjo constantly stalking and
landing hard punches throughout the contest while southpaw Caparello
fought off the back foot to score with effective counters.
At
cruiserweight, Kane Watts 7-0 (3) was victorious over six rounds
against Jae Bryce 2-4 (1) by scores of 59-56 and 60-54 twice.
Tanzanian-born,
Australian-based flyweight Omari Kimweri 10-2 (4) entertained over
four fast-paced rounds with a unanimous decision victory over
Indonesian Junior Bajawa 2-1. Bajawa was down in the second courtesy
of a Kimweri left hook. Scores at the conclusion were 40-35 and
39-36 twice.
Talented
cruiserweight Brad “Hollywood” Pitt 9-0 (7) made short work of
Argentinean Eduardo
Jesus Oscar Rojas 22-15-7
(14), stopping him at 0:38 of the second round with a pair of
powerful left hooks.
Mark
Dalby 2-3 (1) won a four round decision over seasoned trailhorse
Benny Horra 9-18-2 (5) by scores of 39-37 across the board.
In
the opener between debuting light heavyweights, Micah Iona Villamu
stopped Jarrod Jones at 0:35 of the first round ..
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Write for Doghouse Boxing, e-mail Anthony at: anthonyc1974@gmail.com.
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