THE big question after last Friday’s Belfast Waterfront draw is: How good could Alfredo Meli be if he put his heart and soul into boxing?
After his memorable rumble with Conrad Cummings ended in a stalemate, one of Meli’s cornermen explained he’d called to Meli’s house on the day of the fight and found him “pulling the engine out of a car”. Hardly the ideal preparation for the biggest night of your career.
Despite that, Meli was impressive. With two rounds to go, he looked a certain winner, but Cummings, in only the eighth fight of his professional career, showed terrific heart to produce a storming finish. The Coalisland man had Meli down in the first, but Meli had him in real trouble at times and there looks to be reserves of untapped potential in the Falls Road fighter.
A mechanic by day, he trains ferociously with canny coach ‘Nugget’ Nugent in the evenings, but if he had a twice-a-day regime, diet and strength and conditioning programme and dedicated himself to the fight game - possibly at light-middleweight - he has the potential to go far.
However, when asked after his thrilling 10-rounder if he would give up work and become a full-time professional, he replied: “No chance. I’ve a family and family comes first.
“You take it on the chin and go on. It’s just boxing for me - it’s not a life-time job for me, I’m back to work on Monday morning as normal with the boys. I’m looking forward to getting back to work now."
Meli’s team had certainly done their homework on Cummings. It was clear they expected ‘Dynamite’ to target the body and, when he did, Meli was able to spin him around - and stay off the ropes - and land accurate shots off both hands. At times, he looked to have a built-in radar that directed his shots straight to Cummings’ chin and one of the biggest roars of the night came when he gritted his teeth and drove his opponent across the ring.
“I honestly do think I won it,” he said.
“But that’s the way it goes. It’s boxing. I thought I out-muscled him. I pushed him back and I was bullying him, I was the boss and that’s why I think I won it because I was the boss. You win some, you lose some and you draw some. I did myself proud and my family proud and I can hold my head high.”
Cummings also thought he’d won it and both fighters would be happy to meet in a rematch to settle the argument.
“The worst thing that happened me was getting the knockdown in the first round,” said Cummings.
“I was then loading up and that is the one thing Shane McGuigan told me not to do. I have respect for Fredo and let’s do it again in a rematch.”
Meli added: “I’d be up for it, I’m up for anything.
“I wouldn’t say no, I took this fight as quick as possible, so I’d be up for a rematch anywhere."
Meli was down early in the first, but got back on his feet and might well have done enough to win the round: “It was just a flash knockdown, I knew where I was and I was straight back up on my feet, ready to go again,” he said.
“I took all them big bangs and replied back to him - I think he was more shocked because I was still standing. He was the one saying knock-outs and [predicting stoppage in the] ‘third round’ and ‘fourth round’. I was still standing in the last round, so I’ve proved my point and I’ll prove it again. You learn from every fight, it doesn’t matter who it is.
“You could fight a bum in that ring and he could catch you with a good shot. He’ll spot a weakness, that’s boxing and you’re going to pick things up from each other and you’re going to feel the vibe from each other too - you feel more of a vibe from each other than from the crowd cheering.”
RYAN BURNETT says he’ll go back to the drawing board to build on the British bantamweight title he won last Saturday night.
Burnett out-pointed Nottingham veteran Jason Booth at the MEN Arena to get a unanimous verdict from the judges.
“It was a big fight and a big step up in level for me,” said the north Belfast bantam.
“I’m glad I was able to step up and deal with it. It all went my way. I would have liked a late stoppage, but I was sticking to the gameplan, which was boxing not blasting him out and I think Adam [Booth] was happy that I got the rounds under my belt.
“Booth is very experienced and he knows exactly how to look after himself. In the fight, he had more intent in the later rounds to look after himself instead of going for the win.”
The former Ricky Hatton fighter swapped Manchester for London last year and has shown steady improvement since he began working with Adam Booth: “I think I’ve improved the basics,” he said.
“I’ve improved my balance and stuff like that we’ve been working on and I think that showed in the fight. A bit of a break and then back to the drawing board with Adam and take it from there.
“I’m loving it in London. Me and [heavyweight] Richard Towers have got a place and I’ve got a great team around me, so it’s brilliant.”
TYSON FURY warned Wladimir Klitschko his worst nightmare will become a reality when the bell goes at the ESPRIT arena in Dusseldorf on Saturday night.
Fury is convinced he will rip the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles away from the Ukranian, who hasn’t lost since April 2004 when Lamon Brewster stopped him in the fourth round.
“I know Klitschko wouldn’t be going anywhere near me if this fight hadn’t been mandated and forced upon him,” said Fury.
“I’m not somebody he wants to fight. I’m not hand-picked. He can’t control me. He knows my dangers. But he’s got me now. His nightmare has become a reality. And on November 28, I’m doing what he was unable to do first time round - I’m turning up. I’ll then do what Wlad’s been unable to do his entire career - put on a show, entertain the fans and send them home happy.
“Mark my words: I will become heavyweight champion of the world on November 28.”
SAUL 'CANELO' ALVAREZ got the benefit of a unanimous decision to win the vacant WBC and lineal middleweight titles against Miguel Cotto.
The Mexican got the verdict against his Puerto Rican opponent at the Mandalay Bay Events Centre in Las Vegas, with the judges scoring the fight 117-111, 119-109, 118-110 in his favour. Cotto had given up the WBC crown he won by beating Sergio Martinez last year due to a row over sanctioning fees, meaning the title was on the line for Alvarez only.
After an even first six rounds, Alvarez upped his game in the eighth and ninth, but was warned for a low blow in the 10th. Cotto saved his best punch for the final round, when both were clearly seeking the knockout - but it was too late to alter the outcome as Canelo got the decision.
The 25-year-old, unbeaten since losing to Floyd Mayweather in 2013, could now fight unified WBA and IBF champion at 160lbs Gennady Golovkin.
The victor said in the ring afterwards: “Much respect to Miguel Cotto. He's a great champion - but now it's my era.”
THERE was more heartbreak for Martin Murray as his fourth world title attempt ended in defeat against Arthur Abraham in Germany.
The defending WBO super-middleweight champion won a split points decision 115-112, 112-115, 116-111 to retain his belt. Murray had little success in the opening rounds in Hanover and was caught by a straight, powerful right hand in the third.
It was not until the sixth that Murray landed something meaningful, forcing his opponent back onto the ropes with a right hand, but Abraham responded with a counter to mark the Briton's face. The champion twice caught Murray in the seventh, but he landed the best punch of the fight in the next round, catching Abraham with a big right glove.
Murray was deducted a point, after a couple of warnings, in the 11th for using the shoulder, which all-but ended the 33-year-old's hopes.
