Beauchamp wins IBO belt
Nort Beauchamp admits the most significant win of his professional career is yet to fully sink in, but it’s not stopping him turning his attention to his next assignment.
In a career best performance, Beauchamp comprehensively defeated Australian-based Irishman Gearoid Clancy to win the previously vacant International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Oceania lightweight title in a one-sided unanimous decision victory in Sydney on Friday night.
Beauchamp becomes the second Christchurch fighter to win an IBO Oceania belt in two months, following on from Bowyn Morgan who lifted the super welterweight equivalent when he defeated Gunnar Jackson in Christchurch last month.
The IBO belt provides Beauchamp’s career with a massive shot in the arm and the unconventional southpaw said it was satisfying to experience his team’s hours of hard work paying off.
‘‘I wanted to show everyone that I’m the real deal and I’m hear to stay.
‘‘I pinch myself sometimes with where I’m at. You set all these goals but you still surprise yourself when you reach them,’’ Beauchamp said.
The victory takes his record to 14-1, with his only loss coming back in 2015 when fighting up at welterweight.
It was the second time the Canterbury boxer has defeated Clancy following an earlier clash in Sydney back in July last year that won Beauchamp the World Boxing Foundation (WBF) International lightweight title.
Beauchamp, trained by Deacon Henry at 1 More Round, said their hours of video analysis on Clancy had lead to an even more comprehensive win second time around.
‘‘Last time we were just scraping through the rounds but this time we made sure we enforced our power and had plenty of good moments in the rounds,’’ Beauchamp said.
‘‘I could read him and see his punches coming.’’
Beauchamp, who controlled all 10 rounds, hurt Clancy on a number of occasions but the Irishman did not manage to have the same impact on his Kiwi opponent.
By Sunday, Beauchamp was already mulling over who would be his next opponent.
No names are in the pipelines as yet but Beauchamp wants two more fights in 2017 and hopes they will be for major regional titles or another IBO belt.
He will be an attractive option to potential opponents who will be eyeing up the carrot of taking his two belts.
With no suitable opponents in the lightweight division in New Zealand, Beauchamp will be targeting Australian fighters and there is no shortage of them.
‘‘We’re happy to go back and fight over there (Australia).
‘‘That’s the real scene over there (Australia) and if I want to be seen that’s where I have to go,’’ Beauchamp said.
Friday night’s promoter Astrid van der Sluys, who operates under her Sydney Fight League banner, said on Sunday that she was more than happy to work with the Beauchamp camp again.
Importantly, Beauchamp has come through his latest victory with no niggles, other than a small cut from a head clash in the opening round, so plans to be back into serious training within a week.