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CLAFFEY STOPS EKELUND IN THREE,
WINS NORTHERN EURO TOURNAMENT
Tuesday 10 September 2002
Fighting in front of a parochial hometown crowd at Munster's Walsh Park, 23 year-old Irishman Artuir Claffey scored a stunning one-punch knockout victory over Denmark's Flemming Ekelund to win the HBF's Northern Europe Boxing League tournament and earn a place in the upcoming World Ranking tournament.
Claffey was the #3 seed in the tournament, Ekelund #2. The Dane had upset top-seeded Swede Ingemar Johansson in the semi-finals and was favoured to win, despite the fact that Claffey had handed him his one and only loss back in May. Through the first two rounds Ekelund was in control, finding the mark with some smashing lefts and rights. Claffey appeared to be suffering from a case of stage fright, the pressure of the occasion and a large homecrowd possibly affecting him.
There was nothing noteworthy to the top half of round three but when Claffey caught his man right on the chin with a counter left hook Ekelund slumped to the canvas and a roar like an explosion resonated around Walsh Park. Claffey moved excitedly to a neutral corner as referee Mickey Vann applied the count. By the time he had reached five it was clear that Ekelund was out cold but Vann continued counting, reaching ten at the 1:49 mark of the round.
Claffey celebrated jubilantly, his cornermen carrying him around the ring on their shoulders, the crowd applauding as if he'd just been crowned World Champion. Irish boxing fans haven't had too much to sing about during the brief life of the Heavyweight Boxing Federation but tonight's triumph was certainly worthy of such celebration. Claffey has now guaranteed himself eleven eight-round bouts over the course of the next sixteen months and, if he finishes in the top half of his tournament group, he'll have earned himself a World Ranking also. The tournament kicks off exactly two months from today.
Ekelund had landed 60 of 141 punches before the fight ended (.426), Claffey 50 of 112 (.446). The Irishman will take a perfect 7-0(3) record into the World Ranking tournament. Ekelund (5-2(1)) will now be placed in the Qualifying League. No doubt, he'll take some solice in the fact that only one man was able to best him during the Northern European tournament. The fact that that same man achieved the feat twice, now that will be a source of disappointment...
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
TUESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2002
WALSH PARK, WATERFORD, MUNSTER, IRELAND
THE NORTHERN EUROPE BOXING LEAGUE
TOURNAMENT FINAL
MAIN EVENT - TOURNAMENT FINAL
(3) Artuir Claffey KO3 (2) Flemming Ekelund
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