Rapira triumphant in big night of fireworks
Crowd favourite stays unbeaten
The top billing fight of the Kiwis vs Aussies fight night in New Plymouth on Saturday was a real barn-burner, providing a fitting end to an enormously successful event.
Taranaki and New Zealand No 1 amateur light-heavyweight Sam Rapira, and Australian title-holder Jeremy van Diemen thrilled a sellout crowd of 1200-plus who turned up at the YMCA gymnasium by coming out all guns blazing and trading heavy blows to the body and head for three full rounds.
The scores were locked 7-7 after the first round, before Rapira produced the bulk of his scoring points in the second round, opening up a three-point lead on his opponent. There was no slowing down in the third.
The crowd were up on their feet cheering their favourite on as both fighters went hard out to the end, with Rapira snatching a narrow 33-28 majority points decision.
The judges’ decision was greeted by thunderous whoops and hoots as the Taranaki boxer raised his arms in victory before being mobbed by wellwishers on stepping out of the ring.
‘‘I knew he was tough going into the fight but after my first-hand experience, he is really tough,’’ said Rapira after finding his way back to his dressing shed at least 30 minutes after the fight ended.
‘‘I was hitting him across the body with shots that I’ve dropped people before with, and he just ate them up and came back twice as strong. Especially that last round, I hit him with a doozey and he came back real tough.’’
After the first round and with nothing separating the duo, Rapira admitted he was slightly worried. ‘‘I thought: I need to go up a gear here.’’
Rapira said the fight was all a bit of a blur. ‘‘I can remember some shots to the body and I landed him with an uppercut a few times.
‘‘The idea there was that I was going for the body to try and open him up, and gain the judges’ attention by snapping his head back. ‘‘It seemed to work a few times.’’ Rapira said Saturday’s fight was as tough as the three international fights he had at a tournament in Serbia earlier this month when he won two and finished up winning a bronze medal.
‘‘Just as tough but a different style. Internationally, the fighters are more rangy and moving, and it’s more like a cat and mouse or a chess match, and that one was just all fireworks.’’
Van Diemen said: ‘‘It was a tough fight mate. There’s no doubt about that,’’ as he came to grips with suffering his first defeat of the year at the hands of a Kiwi.
The Perth boxer said he knew before the fight that if he wanted to come away with a win, then he would have to be dominant with him fighting someone on his home patch.
‘‘It’s a home crowd and [to win] you’ve got to beat the champ convincingly, don’t you, ’’ he said.
Van Diemen took his punishment, copping his share of punches to the body and his head in the encounter, while giving as much in return but he wouldn’t admit to being hurt by anything from his opponent.
‘‘Nah, he didn’t hurt me at any stage mate.’’
After arriving in New Plymouth with the rest of the seven-strong Fox’s Boxing Den team from Perth, van Diemen said the touring party were overwhelmed at the hospitality that had been shown them.
And he was grateful to the small band of loyal Aussies who turned up on Saturday night to support him. ‘‘Yeah, I had a few people out there supporting me. It was great,’’ the 24-year-old said.
‘‘The hospitality was great. We thank you all a lot.’’
Van Diemen’s days in the amateur ranks are drawing to a close, providing he goes ahead with plans to turn professional shortly. ‘‘I’m looking at going pro. ‘‘[Amateur fights] is just not for me, not points scoring. I say lose the shirts, lose the helmets [head gear] and let’s get it on,’’ he said as a challenge to Rapira to take him on again if and when the Taranaki boxer turns professional.
Fight Night co-ordinator Jacob Rapira was thrilled with the response the event attracted.
‘‘The night was awesome,’’ he said.
‘‘It went exactly as I hoped it would, a sellout crowd packed in there, the fights were good and the crowd was entertained. I couldn’t ask for a better show.’’
Boxing fans can look forward to another fight night in New Plymouth next year.
‘‘I originally planned that this was going to be our last one and I was going to take a couple of years Photos: ROBERT CHARLES/ FAIRFAX NZ off. But after the success of this, I’m going to do another one.
‘‘So I’m going to have to keep going,’’ Jacob Rapira said.
The Aussies didn’t head home yesterday entirely empty-handed, with two of their boxers winning their bouts on the night.