Big boppers put on show
BOXING: A gallant bid by Herman Ene-Purcell to bring the Queensland heavyweight championship back to Toowoomba at Rumours International on Saturday night ended in dramatic fashion at the hands of the Gold Coast’s Will Nasio.
The two close friends fought out one of the most entertaining heavyweight bouts Toowoomba is likely to have seen before Nasio brought it to an early finish with a brutal fourth-round TKO.
Ene-Purcell started the fight in confident style before stunning his Tongan rival with a round-one knockdown.
A shaken Nasio gradually recovered to find his range as the two fighters settled into four rounds of trench warfare with the pair both unleashing heavy barrages.
Little separated the pair during rounds two and three as Ene-Purcell grew in confidence against his more fancied opponent in one of the classiest and most clever performances of his 21-fight career.
But the huge crowd – including a boisterous Tongan contingent and a legion of Samoan Ene-Purcell fans – sensed the bout would end well short of its scheduled eight rounds.
And sure enough, in round four, it all happened.
A momentary lapse in concentration from Ene-Purcell saw Nasio take advantage of his dropped guard to send him crashing to the mat with an explosive combination.
Ene-Purcell bravely regained his feet only to be knocked down again as Nasio sensed the end was near.
Ene-Purcell showed great heart to return from a second eight-count but his night was done as the referee waved the fight over seconds later as The Herminator’s corner threw in the towel.