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kenyan_cheena · 05-27-2009, 09:10 AM

THE GUARDIAN
LAGOS - NIGERIA

Sunday 10 September 2006

KESHI SHOCKS TIGER
WITH 8TH ROUND STOPPAGE

Story by Sani Yobo

Taribo Keshi sent Dick Tiger crashing to his first defeat as a professional last night with an 8th round TKO at Surelere Stadium in the semi-finals of the International Boxing League's World Light-Heavyweight Championship tournament. It was the rematch all of Nigeria had been waiting for and it certainly lived up to the hype, Keshi reversing the result of their April clash and catching a number of experts by surprise in the process. Most believed that the outcome would be identical to the duo's IBF title bout but it was clear from the opening round that Keshi meant business. He pressured Tiger by staying in close and unloading with short lefts and rights. As the contest progressed Tiger's fans became more and more concerned.

Keshi was in clear control going into round five but it was at that point where the tournament's #2 seed showed signs of a rally. He took the round and then held his own in a spectacular 6th, during which both men connected with some thunderous blows. But Keshi answered back brilliantly in the 7th, dominating the frame and punishing Tiger with some powerful shots to both the body and head. Tiger looked a beaten man as he trudged back to his corner and once the 8th started it was clear that he had not fully recovered from the damage he'd absorbed in round seven. Keshi caught him with a series of flush blows before flooring him with a flurry of shots just before the two minute mark. He was up at six, referee Sergey Krupenich allowing him to continue. But moments later the fight was over when a big left hook almost dropped him for a second time, Krupenich waving it off at the 2:09 mark.

The two good friends were quite emotional afterwards, Keshi shedding some tears over the gravity of his victory and the lengths he'd had to go to in order to achieve it. Tiger was genuinely happy for him and said that if he had to choose anyone to end his undefeated streak, "it would have been Taribo". Keshi landed 188 of 473 punches (39.7%) and improved to 23-2(18) while Tiger connected with 155 of 573 (27.1%) and is now 25-1-2(19). 27 year-old Tiger had said during the lead-up to the fight that, despite winning his only world title in the division, he did not feel as comfortable fighting at light-heavyweight as he had at middleweight earlier in his career. However, he was constantly having trouble making weight at 160 and the chances of him returning there are very slim. Having been held to a draw by John Conteh in the quarter-finals Tiger remains winless under the IBL banner.

America's Harold Johnson was the first man into the championship match after he defeated Jimmy Slade by majority decision in the co-feature. As expected it wasn't anything like the easy evening Johnson had against Miguel Angel Cuello in the quarter-finals, although it probably wasn't as difficult as some believed it would be, either. Johnson took the decision by verdicts of 116-113, 114-114 and 115-113 but in this writer's opinion it wasn't really as close as the cards indicated. Johnson had Slade looking weary and jaded by the end of round five after peppering him with a constant stream of left jabs and strong hooks. He eased off considerably in the bottom half of the contest but never looked close to tasting defeat. He outlanded Slade 266-162. The former WBA titlist is now an impressive 36-1-2(26) and will be a daunting proposition for Keshi come December.

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Results

(#1) JOHNSON MD12 (#4) SLADE
(#6) KESHI TKO8 (#2) TIGER

IBL World Championship, 16 December

(#1) HAROLD JOHNSON (36-1-2(26)) vs (#6) TARIBO KESHI (23-2(18))

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05-27-2009, 09:10 AM	#368 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 7,598 Thanks: 81 Thanked 143x in 125 posts	THE GUARDIAN LAGOS - NIGERIA Sunday 10 September 2006 KESHI SHOCKS TIGER WITH 8TH ROUND STOPPAGE Story by Sani Yobo Taribo Keshi sent Dick Tiger crashing to his first defeat as a professional last night with an 8th round TKO at Surelere Stadium in the semi-finals of the International Boxing League's World Light-Heavyweight Championship tournament. It was the rematch all of Nigeria had been waiting for and it certainly lived up to the hype, Keshi reversing the result of their April clash and catching a number of experts by surprise in the process. Most believed that the outcome would be identical to the duo's IBF title bout but it was clear from the opening round that Keshi meant business. He pressured Tiger by staying in close and unloading with short lefts and rights. As the contest progressed Tiger's fans became more and more concerned. Keshi was in clear control going into round five but it was at that point where the tournament's #2 seed showed signs of a rally. He took the round and then held his own in a spectacular 6th, during which both men connected with some thunderous blows. But Keshi answered back brilliantly in the 7th, dominating the frame and punishing Tiger with some powerful shots to both the body and head. Tiger looked a beaten man as he trudged back to his corner and once the 8th started it was clear that he had not fully recovered from the damage he'd absorbed in round seven. Keshi caught him with a series of flush blows before flooring him with a flurry of shots just before the two minute mark. He was up at six, referee Sergey Krupenich allowing him to continue. But moments later the fight was over when a big left hook almost dropped him for a second time, Krupenich waving it off at the 2:09 mark. The two good friends were quite emotional afterwards, Keshi shedding some tears over the gravity of his victory and the lengths he'd had to go to in order to achieve it. Tiger was genuinely happy for him and said that if he had to choose anyone to end his undefeated streak, "it would have been Taribo". Keshi landed 188 of 473 punches (39.7%) and improved to 23-2(18) while Tiger connected with 155 of 573 (27.1%) and is now 25-1-2(19). 27 year-old Tiger had said during the lead-up to the fight that, despite winning his only world title in the division, he did not feel as comfortable fighting at light-heavyweight as he had at middleweight earlier in his career. However, he was constantly having trouble making weight at 160 and the chances of him returning there are very slim. Having been held to a draw by John Conteh in the quarter-finals Tiger remains winless under the IBL banner. America's Harold Johnson was the first man into the championship match after he defeated Jimmy Slade by majority decision in the co-feature. As expected it wasn't anything like the easy evening Johnson had against Miguel Angel Cuello in the quarter-finals, although it probably wasn't as difficult as some believed it would be, either. Johnson took the decision by verdicts of 116-113, 114-114 and 115-113 but in this writer's opinion it wasn't really as close as the cards indicated. Johnson had Slade looking weary and jaded by the end of round five after peppering him with a constant stream of left jabs and strong hooks. He eased off considerably in the bottom half of the contest but never looked close to tasting defeat. He outlanded Slade 266-162. The former WBA titlist is now an impressive 36-1-2(26) and will be a daunting proposition for Keshi come December. --- Results (#1) JOHNSON MD12 (#4) SLADE (#6) KESHI TKO8 (#2) TIGER IBL World Championship, 16 December (#1) HAROLD JOHNSON (36-1-2(26)) vs (#6) TARIBO KESHI (23-2(18)) --- __________________ The Greatest Prize in Sports (a TBCB Dynasty) The Greatest Prize in Sports: Almanac kenyan_cheena's NBA 2K11 Off Topic Dynasty Major League Baseball: 1990 and Beyond... (an OOTP11 Dynasty)