March 28, 2024

As 2019 is rapidly coming to a close, its time to look at the year that was for Aussie boxing. The year pretty much had at it all, robberies in the ring, major upsets, redemption stories, uprising stars, several legends finally sailing off into the sunset and even a world title or two earned.

Without turning this into a novel (as I could go on about this for a week) let’s look at the year that was for Australian boxing.

Who became a World Champion?

Lauryn Eagle Sam Soliman and Andrew Moloney all earned world titles this year.

In April this year, after a horror 2018, with out of ring legal dramas, Australian Super-featherweight Women’s champ Lauryn Eagle took the next step in her career, earning the International Boxing Association (IBA) Women’s Super-featherweight title, in an unanimous decision victory over Argentina’s Mayra Alejandra Gomez. Eagle is looking to defend her title in 2020.

In his retirement bout, former IBF Middleweight World champ, Sam “The King” Soliman, regained a title he earned nine years prior, the World Boxing Foundation (WBF) Middlewight World Title, in an unanimous points victory over Mark Lucas. Soliman was hoping to have a fourth and final bout with Anthony Mundine, but considering the fact that both Soliman and Mundine are now both retired, it’s better to leave that chapter unwritten.

Easily the most noted victory of 2019 besides Jeff Horn’s epic victory in his rematch with Michael Zerafa, was Andrew Moloney’s victory for his interim WBA Super-flyweight title in November. Moloney was pushed to the limit by Elton Dharry, and almost knocked out in the fifth. But Moloney’s guts and determination shone through and Moloney earned a ninth round tko. It’s only a matter of time before Moloney either fights WBA Regular Champion Khalid Yafai or IBF champ Jerwin Ancajas.

Who retired?

All good things must come to an end, and for some of these fighters it’s bitter sweet but in most cases it’s a long time coming.

Many boxers have hanged up the gloves in 2019, but the most notable are Sam Soliman, Anthony Mundine, John Wayne Parr and Mark Flanagan.

With three loses on the trot over the past twelve months, Mark ‘Bam Bam’ Flanagan decided that even only 29 years old that he had enough for his career and retired. The powerhouse from Townsville, Queensland retires with a record 24-8 with titles earned including the WBO Oriental Light-Heavyweight title, Australian and WBA Oceania Cruiserweight titles.

As previously stated Sam Soliman retired on a high by winning the WBF Middleweight title in his final match. But his long time rival Anthony Mundine didn’t get the ending he was looking for. In a comeback/retirement fight after his 96 second knockout loss to Jeff Horn, Mundine returned for one last bout against Kickboxing legend and former Australian Middleweight champ John Wayne Parr, who was also in his retirement match.

After the ten round clash Parr was given the split decision victory as both men embraced and announced thier retirements. It’s fair to say that boxing will never be the same again with Mundine but he has certainly paved the wave for the next generation.

Who rose up in 2019.

There have been several new fighters to come up in the Australian boxing scene in 2019, but for my mind three stand out the most, Tim Tszyu, Daniel Lewis and Tayla Harris.

Tayla Harris has gone wonders for herself and women’s boxing in 2019. Coming into the boxing scene in 2017 as a way to keep fit on the AFL Women’s off season,  the now famous Carlton Blues player has three bouts with three victories this year. What is the most impressive is that Harris won the Australian Middleweight and then Super-Welterweight title within six weeks of each other, with impressive dominat TKO victories over Margarite Butcher and Janay Harding. Harris is certainly putting women’s boxing on the map in Australia.

Rookie Daniel Lewis, has had a most impressive debuting year this year, with six victories for six bouts, including the Australian Super-Welterweight in only his third pro fight against Wade Ryan, an international debut on a world title fight in the USA and ending an undefeated streak for his opponent this weekend just past. In my opinion Lewis is the rookie of the year.

Second generation star Tim Tszyu has taken the boxing scene by storm this year, and not just because of his father. Headlining three Mainevent ppv this year, Tszyu defeated Joel Camerilli for his Australian Super-Welterweight title, a feat that his father never did (win an Australian title), defeated Dwight Ritchie to earn a top fifteen ranking with the IBF and WBO and defended his WBO Global and IBF Australiasian Super-Welterweight titles in a dominant four round performance over Jack Brubaker. With Jeff Horn going down to the Super-Welterweight division after his epic rematch with Michael Zerafa, it’s seems that Horn v Tszyu is a must have for 2020

Who was upset, who made redemption?

Its fair to say that the two matches between Jeff Horn and Micheal Zerafa were the two most talk about fights of 2019. The first was just a warm up before Jeff Horn was supposed to face WBA middleweight champ Ryota Murata in December of thi year. But in the last day of winter, Michael Zerafa changed all that win the upset of the year. Zerafa knocked out Horn in nine rounds and completely dominated the ill prepared Horn and took his place for the Murata fight. But Horn’s camp enforced the rematch and gave Australia its best boxing rivals since Anthony Mundine and Danny Green. The rematch between Horn and Zerafa was the best domestic fight in in decades possibly ever.

The brutal and bloody match ended with Horn reasserting his place as top dog in Australian boxing with Zerafa looking towards 2020 to grow his career. For my mind Dennis Hogan should be his next bout.

Who was robbed? 

Irish born Dennis Hogan has two world title opportunities this year in two different divisions. A WBO Super-Welterweight title fight against champ Jaime Munguia and a WBC Middleweight title fight against champ Jermall Charlo. There little doubt that Charlo dominated Hogan in thier fight, but it’s the fight against Munguia that brings the controversy.

In April Hogan fought Munguia in his home country of Mexico. After the fight many thought that Hogan had done enough to earn the title from the undefeated Mexican but the judges gave the decision to Munguia via a majority decision with the scorecards reading 114–114, 115-113 Munguia and 116-112 Munguia. Personally I had it 115-113 Hogan. Many thought the decision was a robbery and Hogan should have been the new champ but it wasn’t meant to be. Maybe 2020 for Hogan.

An excellent year in boxing for Australia in 2019 and 2020 is looking even better.