Former All Black Carlos Spencer was expecting a fast start from his Fight for Life boxing opponent Paul Whatuira, the former Warriors player, on Thursday night and he was not disappointed.
In the main event of a charity boxing evening resurrected in New Zealand after a break of seven years, Whatuira went at Spencer from the opening bell at Auckland’s Eventfinda Stadium – catching him early and landing with 10 unanswered punches.
Spencer was given a standing eight count when he was perhaps lucky to not see the fight waved off by the referee.
The former All Blacks linchpin appeared dazed but remained standing against the ropes.
It was a fast and furious start to a short main event fight – three scheduled two-minute rounds – with Spencer’s best coming in the final round when he landed a couple of short chopping right hands, but Whatuira, who looked levels above with his speed and ring-craft, won a deserved points victory.
Whatuira, 40, a former Kiwis international, described the 46-year-old Spencer as a “true champion, a legend” afterwards but he was the one who truly impressed on his boxing debut.
Spencer, who lost his last significant fight to Monty Betham in 2016 (a stoppage), said of his southpaw opponent: “Credit to him – Paulie, well done, bro. Respect.”
With former All Black Keven Mealamu pulling out of his fight with Wairangi Koopu only days earlier due to a heart condition, Liam Messam was the other rugby player fighting for his code's honour and he did well against James Gavet, another former Warrior.
Messam, who has professional boxing ambitions, and indeed has a fight scheduled for next weekend, showed a wide array of skills, including snappy feints and footwork, to score a comfortable decision victory over three rounds against Gavet, although he was caught by a right hand at the end of the second round after relaxing a little too much.
Straight after he had his hand raised in victory, Messam went straight to former All Blacks lock Ian Jones, sitting at a ringside table, and hugged him.
The fight of the night came from the professional ranks: Jerome Pampellone scoring an impressive sixth-round knockout win against Joshua Francis to extend his unbeaten record to 13-0.
Pampellone, who moved down a class to cruiserweight for the fight, scored with excellent combinations early against the determined Francis, but his best came in the sixth when he fell short with a right hand but connected cleanly with a left hook which sent Francis to the canvas.
Francis, aggressive but a little loose defensively at times, beat the count but the referee waved the fight off after Pampellone pinned his opponent against the ropes with a near perfect finishing flurry.
It was only Francis’ second loss in 15 fights, and with Pampellone taking the IBF Australasian cruiserweight title, he is now on a collision course with Australian Jay Opetaia, the undefeated IBF cruiserweight champion.
Pampellone is also now likely to enter the world’s top 15. Asked about a potential shot at a world title, he said: “If I keep focused and doing what I’m doing, I’ll get the outcome.”
Pampellone's similarly highly-rated stablemate Andrei Mikhailovich improved his record to 19-0 against southpaw Francis Waitai in a close points decision over eight rounds.
Mikhailovich was frustrated by his opponent, and switched to southpaw himself for the start of the sixth round, but was the more aggressive fighter – especially early – and deserved his victory. He moves to 19-0.
Former league player and now broadcaster Honey Hireme-Smiler was too good for broadcaster Tegan Yorwarth, winning with a first-round stoppage, with broadcaster Jay Reeve beating actor Tammy Davis by decision in an entertaining first fight of the night.
The Fight for Life event, promoted by Dean Lonergan, raised money for the I am Hope mental health campaign of which Mike King is closely associated. An auction on the night raised $140,000.
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