Hopoate retains heavyweight title
6:25a.m. 24th July 2009
By Adrian Warren
John Hopoate has retained his Australian heavyweight title in decisive fashion against Bob Mirovic in their boxing rematch at Canberra's AIS Arena on Thursday night.
Hopoate (12-3), bounced back from his last start loss to former heavyweight world champion Oliver McCall, scoring a unanimous ten round points win over 43-year-old Mirovic (29-21-2).
The judges scored the fight 99-90, 99-91 and 97-94 in 34-year-old Hopoate's favour.
Hopoate, who took the title from Mirovic on a ninth-round stoppage on the Gold Coast last September, pushed the pace, backing up the challenger with big right hands and the occasional left rip to the body.
Mirovic seemed content to fight at close quarters despite enjoying significant height and reach advantages.
As early as round one, Mirovic was showing signs of wear and tear on his face.
Former rugby league star Hopoate dominated the first two rounds, landing some clubbing right hand blows.
Mirovic started to string some punches together near the end of round three but he struggled to mount sustained pressure at other stages of the fight.
Mirovic, who claimed Hopoate's tactics were responsible for his broken arm in their first contest, complained to referee Brian McMahon about the champion's tactics in that area in the first and fourth rounds.
The two fighters had a unscheduled breather between the sixth and seventh and seventh and eighth rounds when a rope in the neutral corner came loose.
The breaks didn't help the older man, as Hopoate continued to pile on the pressure.
On the undercard, Ben Edwards, who knocked out Hopoate in his only previous fight, stopped ring worn New Zealander Sam Leuii inside the first minute.
Dual Olympian Ged O'Mahoney started his professional career in stylish fashion with a unanimous points win over Bruce MacFie in a middleweight contest.
© AAP
http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2009/jul/24/aap-hopoate-retains-heavyweight-title/