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Photo credit: Pawel Gawronski |
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The standout fight of the night came next – an 11 round thriller between Sean “The Machine†Mooney and Paul “The Hitman†Roberts. Earlier in the day the event organisers had received news that lightweight world champion contender Guram Guberidze from Georgia had pulled out of his scheduled contest at the last minute. In order to satisfy the 800 strong crowd who had come to see a title fight WCBA officials expeditiously sanctioned the Mooney V Roberts bout as a decider for the vacant world middleweight throne.
A battle royale ensued with both men showing themselves worthy contenders for the prestigious belt. But it was the more experienced Mooney who gained the upper hand, first on the chessboard and then via a devastating three punch combination ending with a solid uppercut that landed flush on Roberts' nose causing blood to jet onto the canvas.
The bout was suspended while medics stemmed the bleeding before Roberts could continue. Showing enormous heart he battled his way back into the contest but it was an uphill struggle all the way and in at the end of the 11th and final round Mooney's technique and fitness were sufficient to overcome The Hitman's strength and commitment. |
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W | L |
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Mooney wins via chess - timeout (Round 11) |
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