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David Tua and Shane Cameron face off - Source: Photosport -
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11.10pm It's all over!!!
After months and months of hype it is over very very
quickly.
The Tuaman wins and asked what he would do now,
Tua says "I'm off to Burger King." No such luxury for Cameron
with his manager confirming the fighter has been sent to the local
hospital for treament.
Share what you thought of the fight by commenting on the
message board at the end of this blog.
10.48pm A rare privilege.
Here we are as one of the most keenly anticipated sporting events
of 2009 is just about to get underway and all pretences of
formality were put aside.
The legions of catering staff - who had been serving the ravenous
appetites of hundreds of corporate tables since 4:30pm - had
gathered round the outside of the arena. Like the security staff
and other assorted workers - everyone's eyes were trained on a
simple 20 foot by 20 foot ring.
Tua looked relaxed but intense as the fighters touched gloves for
the last time.
Cameron wore an awkward smile, not for the first time on the night
and it betrayed some real nerves.
Amidst all the noise, a strange kind of hush came over the arena as
the fight got underway.
The bell rang and it was on.
And what a privilege, as a sports fan, to be just a few metres away
from such a spectacle.
It was a cautious opening, with Cameron evading some big left hooks
from Tua. Tua ducked low, and moved well.
The crowd was baying for blood and unfortunately for Cameron it
came all too soon.
Tua's right hand did the damage, sending the Gisborne fighter to
the canvas twice towards the end of the first round.
A lesser man would not have got up but the courageous Cameron took
a standing eight count on both occasions - and just as in the first
fight of the night he was saved by the bell and made it to his
corner.
The second round was seven seconds of brutality - and even the most
ardent Tua fan started to feel some sympathy for Cameron.
Cameron took 13 unanswered punches from Tua - an incredible feat in
itself - before falling to the ground for the third time as the
doctor rushed to his aid.
10.32pm Cameron's gamble.
Cameron's chosen song as he entered the stadium was "The Gambler"
by Kenny Rogers. A strange choice but one that will be seen as
appropriate.
His entourage was significantly smaller than Tua's and one of his
managers made a big show of parading Cameron's belts - right in
front of the Tua's huge entourage.
Would he need any more encouragement?
10.21pm In search of the Tua-man.
The media centre is just above the boxers' dressing room and we
managed to sneak down just before the fight. After gaining
permission from security, there was a whole posse of us waiting for
Tua.
In the ten minutes that we waited Tua's wife walked past us twice
into the dressing room.
Was this a good sign - or a bad omen? A final last message or a
moment of real worry.Time would tell.
Led out by his two sons, the 'Tuamanator' emerged. A couple of
journalists got excited yelling "Hey David" and for a brief second
he glanced up.
Then he was off out into the arena and the closest thing to Roman
Gladitors.
It took the 37-year-old an age to arrive in the ring - such was the
amount of fans that had spilled down into the arena.
9:38pm
Great fight but no
contest.
The fourth fight of the night, between hardened Australian Shane Chapman and Athletic New Zealander Soulan Pownceby was shaping up as a beauty with both fighters going toe to toe.
But it ended in controversial circumstances as Pownceby caught Chapman with an accidental headbutt. It caused a serious cut above the Australian's eye and automatically ends the bout in a technical draw.
The crowd is unhappy but the ruling, with the benefit of the television replay, was perfectly correct.
It could be an eerie precursor to what may happen later, with some rumours about the media room that a headbutt may come into play in the main event.
9:17pm The voice of the night.
Professional ring announcer Lt Dan Hennessey is a one man industry.
He is a decorated veteran of the Operation Desert Storm but now makes his money flying around the world introducing fights and announcing winners.
Hennessey has a special ability and it certainly doesn't come cheap. For one night's work of a few minutes every hour or so he reportedly cost the promoters $US15,000 plus two return airfares from the States. And he is the kind of guy that only turns left when he walks on the plane.
But for his abilities to bring drama to the event, hype up the crowd and add real colour to the event it is surely money well spent.
And if the Tua Cameron bout goes the distance Hennessey will be
the first man in the place to know the result as he holds that
precious piece of white A4 paper that reveals the score.
8:38pm
Attracting attention
The Samsung sponsored ring card girls are certainly proving one of the most popular features of the night so far.
They watch from ringside in full length dressing gowns but when their big moment comes between rounds the gown is gone and they prowl the canvas in a tiny lycra outfit. There is just enough room for the sponsors name and logo - lucky they are sponsored by Samsung and not Harvey Norman.
Looking after the ladies are two burly gents whose sole job is help them in and out of the ring. Though later they may act as personal protection when some of the eager lads in the nearby corporate tables have had a few more ales.
7:53pm
Saved by the
Bell.
It is a cliché you hear very often, and of course it
orginates from boxing so it was appropriate that we should see it
in the very first fight.
Steve Heremaia knocked down his taller opponent Australian Frank Lo Porto twice in the very first round.
Lo Porto was down and out, wobbly and shaken and just as Heremaia was about to land the decisive final punch the bell rang, to signal the end of the round.
The fight sets a good omen for the night: it went the full six rounds and had parts of the crowd delivering a standing ovation at the end.
Heremaia was a deserved victor in a unamanious points decision over the courageous Lo Porto who fought back well after his early setback.
It is Heremaia 13ths professional victory and he also wins the prize for the coolest nickname of the night adopting the moniker Steve Chur Hermaia.
Chur bro.
He proved to be quite a character in the press conference when
asked about the height disadvantage he gave away 6cm to Lo Porto
but simply shrugged his shoulders "Everybody is always taller than
me that is the way it is."
7:00pm
We are still over three hours from the main event but a huge crowd is building at Mystery Creek. And not just in the auditorium - the media centre is full to overflowing. Your tvnz.co.nz reporter has managed a seat but there is a shortage of powerpoints currently.
Celebrities abound - from our raised position we can see Inga Tuimanga, John Rowles, Eric Rush and plenty of other faces you will see tomorrow in the Sunday gossip sections.
The general concensus amongst the assembled journalists is that heavy hitter David Tua will be too good but hey - what do we know?
Add a Comment:
Post new commentwestside said on 2009-12-08 @ 22:12 NZDT: Report abusive post
What a fight,Tua should be arrested for asulting Cameron like that in front of the whole country.Oh well he got what he deserve for running his mouth.
taramatautia said on 2009-10-05 @ 06:46 NZDT: Report abusive post
That was pretty sad when he went down the first time, it was even worse when he went down in the 2nd round! Big ups to you shane cameron you had guts to fight david tua, hez only 37 you aint that far behind...but wish you all the best for your future in boxing as for tua well what can i say YOU'RE THE MAN!!!
the urinator said on 2009-10-04 @ 19:13 NZDT: Report abusive post
Come on its all part and parcel of the boxing world, Tua supporters can learn alot about humilty from their favorite boxer. Shane big ups bro see you back in the ring soon, and Tuaman your back brotha so bring on the world title! Mauri ora!!
Scotx2 said on 2009-10-04 @ 18:07 NZDT: Report abusive post
What an awesome fight! im really pleased David won, i would just like to say how disapointed i am in the referee! What was he thinking? Shane was clearly KNOCKED OUT in the first round and the referee set him up to be killed! Now i know boxing is a physical sport but where do you draw the line? It was clear that after the first round Shane was in no shape to fight and even when David was hitting him the referee just stood there! Just like Wanye Barnes i hope we NEVER see him again!
nakigirl said on 2009-10-04 @ 17:13 NZDT: Report abusive post
I'm guttd Shane lost the fight. But huge ups to Tua, that man has alot of power behind him. Age in this case was an advantage. This fight has done alot for NZ boxing & they both put their all in, Shane may need to rethink about underestimating his apponents. I hope there is a rematch & next time we might have a different result but Shane has alot of work to do. Nice work to both of you xoxo