Waterman racks up more wins
FORMER world junior champion Clay Waterman is safely through to the next round of the Oceania boxing championships and world title qualifiers on the Gold Coast.
Queenslander Waterman was one of three Australians who had strong wins yesterday, beating Samoan Alema Leleisiuao in the 81kg division.
There was also a win for Andrew Hunt over Tonga’s John Moleni in the 69kg division, Hunt’s second win in as many days, and for Sam Goodman over Papua New Guinea’s Beupu Noki in the 56kg.
Australia’s only loss came in the men’s middleweight where Campbell Somerville, a winner on the opening day, lost to New Zealander Ryan Scaife.
Elsewhere another Kiwi Patrick Mailata booked himself a showdown with Australia’s Commonwealth Games silver medallist Joseph Goodall in the super heavyweight division after beating Ishmael Liaina from Samoa.
Yet another New Zealander, Richard Hadlow in the men’s 64kg, had a win over Tonga’s Fineasi Tuipulotu, but there were defeats for two other Kiwis.
Keegan O’Kane was beaten by Vanuatu’s Boe Warawara in the 56kg, and Leroy Hindley lost to Fijiian Winston Hill in the 69kg,
Samoa’s Henry Tyrell had a win over Francis Togagae (Nauru) in the 75kg division, but Nauru celebrated a win for Colan Caleb over Papua New Guinea’s John Ume in the 64kg.
The Oceania championships continue today.
The two finalists in each weight division will qualify for this year’s world championships, to be held in Hamburg, Germany.