Canteen Worker
First Grader
August 4, 2006 - 10:48PM
Former rugby league bad boy John Hopoate won his second professional boxing bout with a controversial technical knock-out over New Zealand's Alex Mene on the Gold Coast on Friday.
Referee Cyril Cairns stopped the contest 58 seconds into the fourth round at the Magic Millions Pavilion after Mene had copped a barrage of heavy hits from rookie Hopoate, who stopped Frank Faasolo in just 47 seconds in a stunning debut in Sydney last month.
Cairns later said Mene, whose record dipped to an awful 2-4, had appeared to give up and he had to consider the welfare of the stocky Kiwi.
Hopoate, 32, can take heart from his performance against the heavily tattooed Mene, who had never been knocked down in his six fights.
It was a pretty ordinary battle but at least Hopoate, who had sparred with Kali Meehan and Bowie Tupou in his preparation, showed he has some stamina and hardly looked troubled against his Kiwi opponent.
In the first round the 108kg Hopoate was warned by Cairns for wrestling Mene to the ground as both fell to the canvas with a shuddering thud.
Mene landed some decent body blows in the third round but Hopoate again took control in the fourth before the former New Zealand heavyweight champion virtually conceded defeat as he went into the red corner for a breather.
Former rugby league bad boy John Hopoate won his second professional boxing bout with a controversial technical knock-out over New Zealand's Alex Mene on the Gold Coast on Friday.
Referee Cyril Cairns stopped the contest 58 seconds into the fourth round at the Magic Millions Pavilion after Mene had copped a barrage of heavy hits from rookie Hopoate, who stopped Frank Faasolo in just 47 seconds in a stunning debut in Sydney last month.
Cairns later said Mene, whose record dipped to an awful 2-4, had appeared to give up and he had to consider the welfare of the stocky Kiwi.
Hopoate, 32, can take heart from his performance against the heavily tattooed Mene, who had never been knocked down in his six fights.
It was a pretty ordinary battle but at least Hopoate, who had sparred with Kali Meehan and Bowie Tupou in his preparation, showed he has some stamina and hardly looked troubled against his Kiwi opponent.
In the first round the 108kg Hopoate was warned by Cairns for wrestling Mene to the ground as both fell to the canvas with a shuddering thud.
Mene landed some decent body blows in the third round but Hopoate again took control in the fourth before the former New Zealand heavyweight champion virtually conceded defeat as he went into the red corner for a breather.
