6:50PM Justin Hodges v Matt Cooper
Finally, a fight that lasts longer than one round.
It’s a State of Origin showdown between former NSW centre Matt Cooper and Maroons rival Justin Hodges and the ex-Broncos skipper gets the nod following three, two-minute rounds.
The fight went the distance, but Hodges called on his experience from fighting Paul Gallen to score a unanimous points decision over debutant Cooper (30-28, 30-27, 30-27).
The Dragons legend was busier early but Hodges had more power and precision. The Maroons great kept landing with his right hand and showed more ring craft to outlast a willing Cooper, who struggled to find the mark with his punches.
Hodges later indicated he could fight on and has thrown down the challenge to Sonny Bill Williams for a possible retirement bout.
“I heard Sonny Bill is looking for one more fight so why not, if it’s one more fight let’s make it big,” Hodges said.
“The old boy might have one more fight, we’ll see.
“’Coops’ is a competitor, I know it was his first fight but he is a very tough man.
“You don’t want to underestimate your opponent, some days I woke up and didn’t want to train, but I knew the result if I didn’t.
“I feel good, I can have a beer now.”
6:22PM Jermaine Pangai v Nepote Dawadawa
The first instalment of Pangai power has arrived.
Tevita Pangai Jnr’s younger brother Jermaine has launched his professional career in style with a first-round demolition of Fijian Nepote Dawadawa.
The teenager is a monster of a man at 123kg and he destroyed Dawadawa (2-7, 1KO) with a series of left uppercuts and body shots to seal a dream debut.
The fight was called off after Dawadawa suffered a broken jaw late in the round after a huge uppercut from Jermaine.
Let’s hope the NRL stars deliver more action because the first two fights have been duds.
Jermaine was never troubled by Dawadawa and his Fijian camp called it off when the 34-year-old returned to the corner at the end of the first round.
“People think I weigh 123kg but what you saw is an 80kg boxer in a heavyweight’s body,” Jermaine said with a laugh.
“I will go back to the Logan boxing gym on Tuesday and can’t wait to see my bro.
“I think I did alright.”
5:56PM Austin Aokuso v Filimoni Naliva Jr (cruiserweight)
Gone in 60 seconds … almost.
Austin Aokuso, the younger brother of Australia’s rising star Paulo, has continued his unbeaten run with a first-round TKO of Fijian Filimoni Naliva Jnr as the Battle on the Reef in Townsville began with a bang.
Nicknamed ‘Sugar Free’, Aokuso (6-0, 3KO) needed just 58 seconds to dispose of Naliva Jnr (7-7, 5KO), who took a knee after copping a volley of punches from the 25-year-old in their cruiserweight clash.
Aokuso has struggled to find opponents in the past year and admits he may need to drop down to his brother Paulo’s division to find better quality.
“That was the plan (to win early), but I was hoping for a bit more resistance,” Aokuso said.
“I might have to make my way down to light heavy to get more opponents.
“I was disappointed with that (opponent) but I’m 6-0 now so I’m happy to keep winning.”
‘DISGRACEFUL THIEF’: TPJ BLASTED BY RIVAL IN TONGAN WAR
Tevita Pangai Jnr has been slammed as a disgrace for blaming his parents for his failed rugby league career ahead of his boxing baptism tonight in north Queensland.
Pangai Jnr’s heavyweight rival Frank Amato has fired a savage broadside at the former NRL star, labelling him an embarrassment to Tonga as the pair prepare to go to war at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre.
Amato’s attack came as Pangai Jnr suffered a pre-fight drama, with the Bulldogs required to urgently authorise the bout as the former Canterbury forward awaits one final monthly payment of around $60,000 on his NRL salary.
Pangai Jnr is still technically on Canterbury’s payroll until November 1, but Bulldogs bosses have given the green light for Tevita the Terminator to fight, which is music to the ears of Gold Coast slugger Amato.
Pangai Jnr retired from rugby league at the end of the 2023 season – just four months after making his NSW Origin debut – admitting that his heart had never been in the sport.
The Tongan Test representative said he had been forced to pursue rugby league by his parents and was committed to forging his own path forward in professional boxing.
That path has led him to Townsville and a fight-night showdown with fellow Tongan Amato, who blasted Pangai over his “disrespectful” attitude towards his own flesh and blood.
“I lost all respect for him because he came out and blamed his mum and dad for pushing him to rugby league,” Amato said.
“You don’t do that in a Tongan family.
“I don’t respect him for that because us Tongans, we respect our parents. It doesn’t matter what they do.
“I wish I had the opportunity he did, where my mum or dad pushed me to be the best I could be.
“My mum and dad sent me here to Australia as a 14-year-old to live by myself and I’m still proud of what they did for me.
“I would never complain.
“(His comments) were a slap in the face to our culture.”
Pangai Jnr boasts a perfect 2-0 record as a boxer and is under pressure to deliver an emphatic performance against Amato after his shock decision to walk away from the NRL to chase his title dreams in boxing.
The eight-card extravaganza in Townsville will feature a number of current and former NRL stars. Nelson Asofa-Solomona takes on Jarrod Wallace, Junior Paulo faces Ben Hannant and Reagan Campbell-Gillard is making his debut against Cowboys hometown hero Jason Taumalolo.
Meanwhile, former Broncos skipper Justin Hodges will wage an Origin-style clash with ex-NSW centre Matt Cooper before Paulo Aokuso headlines the main event against Argentina’s Gabriel Omar Diaz.
But few bouts will feature the hatred of Amato’s showdown with Pangai Jnr, who says the second-grade rugby-union battler will crack under the pressure of fighting before 4000 fans.
“You haven’t seen what you’re going to see on Saturday night with thousands of people, not just 200,” said TPJ, who is a much bigger man at 117.2kg compared to Amato’s 100kg.
“Why is (there footage) of you on TikTok getting knocked out by a cruiserweight?
“This is heavyweight boxing.”
Amato then ramped-up his verbal barrage, accusing Pangai Jnr of ripping off his former NRL clubs the Broncos and Bulldogs by failing to deliver bang for his big bucks.
“He’s going to have to look for a new job after Saturday,” Amato said.
“I don’t think rugby league would want him back because he is a thief.
“He went to the Broncos, he went to the Bulldogs.
“He takes their money but doesn’t change the person that he is.
“People look at him and think he can run through a brick wall but he’s not: he just takes, takes, takes.”
The 200cm, 131kg Asofa-Solomona says he is ready to steal the show by knocking out Wallace.
“Anyone who gets in front of me I am going to do a job on them,” he said.
“I’m ready to go. I’m really excited to show what I have been working on for the last few months.
“This is a cracking card. You won’t see too many events where there are so many NRL players fighting on the same night.”
Originally published as Boxing news: Battle on the Reef, NRL fight night, live updates, results, card, start time
