Australian middleweight champion Mitchell Leek (left) got here out on high of a troublesome scrap with veteran Jack Brubaker on June 19 in Flemington. (Picture by Royale Creator)
Australian middleweight champion Mitchell Leek (11-0, 5 KOs) retained his title in his first protection with an entertaining 10-round unanimous determination victory over Jack Brubaker (18-6-2, 8 KOs) at The Melbourne Pavilion in Flemington, Victoria, Australia on Wednesday evening.
The battle was a step up at school for Leek, 24, who had been 10 rounds simply as soon as earlier than in his earlier bout in opposition to Adrian Rodriguez (13-9-2, 6 KOs) for the nationwide crown simply final month. Leek pitched a shutout in opposition to Rodriguez, who was driving a five-fight dropping streak.
Pure welterweight Brubaker, 32, who was making his 160-pound debut, dropped at the ring a stage of expertise and savvy that the youthful Leek had by no means encountered earlier than. Three of Brubaker’s earlier losses got here in opposition to the standard trio of Tim Tszyu, Nikita Tszyu and Steve Spark.
Each battle in Brubaker’s professional profession has been a struggle, and the Leek battle proved to be no exception.
After the compulsory feeling-out spherical, Leek made the primary actual transfer late within the second, scoring a flash knockdown with a left hook after a proper to the physique in a spherical that Brubaker was in any other case profitable.
The motion heated up within the third and fourth. Leek landed stiff, straight pictures to the pinnacle whereas Brubaker punched round his guard. The challenger performed with shifting to southpaw however didn’t use the guise for lengthy. Brubaker suffered a minimize over his proper eye from an unintended head-clash within the fourth.
Leek eats a stiff left from Brubaker. (Picture by Royale Creator)
The 2-way motion continued via the mid-rounds with Leek touchdown the extra eye-catching pictures however Brubaker protecting it shut. By the top of the sixth, Leeks was wanting annoyed and just a little fatigued.
The seventh was one other glorious spherical as each boxers sought to achieve management of the bout. Proper-hand bombs had been traded on the bell.
Brubaker tried the southpaw trick once more in the beginning of the eighth however shortly realized Leek wasn’t about to fall for his lure. Regardless of displaying indicators of slowing down earlier, Leek discovered his second wind, forcing Brubaker to the ropes. He continued the assault all through the spherical in what was simply his finest session to this point, touchdown some hurtful punches along with his opponent on the again foot.
Youth finally prevailed as Leek outpointed Brubaker over 10 rounds. (Picture by Royale Creator)
Within the ninth, it was Brubaker who was tiring and Leek took benefit, firing off laborious pictures as he bulled his opponent to the ropes. Leek continued his dominance on the tenth spherical, opening with an enormous proper hand to Brubaker’s whiskers and persevering with to unleash his arsenal from there till the ultimate bell.
When the mud settled, Leek was the rightful winner by scores of 98-91, 99-90 and 99-90, however the scores didn’t replicate the competitiveness of the bout.
“I believed I had him harm, however he whacked me just a few instances and I believed there’s in all probability no level buying and selling with him, as a result of he can whack nonetheless, so I went again to boxing. It was a great battle,” stated Leek.
Brubaker followers might be dissatisfied to listen to it could be the final time that they see him within the ring.
“This man is a real champion,” stated Brubaker. “He’s a giant, sturdy boy and I admire the problem to let me come down and battle right here.
“I began my battle with [trainer] Ryan [Waters] and it’s good to complete it with him. I’m undecided if I’ll battle once more. I’ll have a phrase with my household. These younger boys, they’ve obtained only a bit an excessive amount of ticker in them.”
The reigning nationwide champion couldn’t be extra complimentary of his vanquished opponent.
“Everybody right here, are you able to all get standing and provides Jack a spherical of applause,” stated Leek. “If that’s the final time he’s in right here, he deserves greater than that, so give him a spherical of applause. He’s a real champion.
“He deserves a belt. He deserves an Australian title. He’s been within the ring with Tim, with Nikita. Man, he’s a warrior. He’s given the whole lot he had tonight and he took the whole lot out of me. I needed to give the whole lot I had and he’s a real champion himself.
“I’ve obtained to maintain growing. I haven’t been on this sport so long as a number of these guys have. I’ve solely been in it a short while. We’ll get again to the drafting board now and work laborious and preserve enhancing, and that’s what this sport is all about.”
In the principle help bout, Australian mild heavyweight champion Lucas “Thriller” Miller (12-6-2, 4 KOs) retained his title for the third time with an upset first-round knockout of Mat “The Machine” Sheehan (10-3, 7 KOs).
At 35 years outdated and coming off a 10-round unanimous determination loss in his bid for the Austrian mild heavyweight title in opposition to Driton Isenaj (9-0, 4 KOs) in Vienna this previous April – yeah, you learn it proper – Miller was thought-about an underdog coming into the bout.
Not solely that, Miller was seen because the a boxer up in opposition to a puncher. Sheehan, 32, was having his first bout since his opening-round knockout loss to Conor Wallace (13-1, 10 KOs) in July of final 12 months.
The Wallace loss could be simply defined as getting caught chilly by a fellow southpaw, one who is thought to pack dynamite in his mitts. The loss to Miller – one other lefty – not a lot. It was Miller’s first knockout win in nearly eight years.
The opening gong was nonetheless ringing within the ears of the group when Miller landed a left cross to the temple. Sheehan went down, harm. His legs had been wobbly when he obtained up, and referee Anthony Hibbs took a great, laborious have a look at him earlier than permitting him to hold on.
The battle wouldn’t final for for much longer.
Miller linked with one other crunching left hand, adopted by a proper uppercut. Sheehan’s legs stiffened. A closing left cross landed flush on his jaw, and simply as his physique started to hunch to the canvas, Hibbs stepped in to cease the competition.
The official time of the stoppage was 1:20 of the primary body.
“You won’t imagine it, however we truly deliberate the precise factor that we did,” stated Miller of his technique coming into the battle. “We noticed he wasn’t actually biting an excessive amount of off my jabs, so I shortly snuck the 2 behind it.
“I threw the one-two and it got here off. He went to chew on the identical time and it got here off. All of the laborious work and the coaching, it paid off.”
As for his future plans, Miller is planning to take a little bit of a break after 5 bouts previously 12 months.
“Subsequent is a pleasant relaxation, man,” he stated. “I’ll see what my staff says and we’ll come again … I’m at all times eager for a tough problem and I’m prepared for anybody.”
After Miller laid fingers on Sheehan, they embraced when the competition was over.
“I’ve a lot respect for Mat,” stated Miller. “I informed him I really like him and that he’s a warrior.”
4 club-level fights rounded out the Workforce Ellis present that was broadcast reside domestically on free-to-air streaming service 7plus beneath the Premier Boxing Collection banner.
