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[QUOTE]By Dave Lewis
March 09, 2007 12:00
AUSSIE world champion Lovemore Ndou has accused former footballer John Hopoate and Willie Mason's brother Les of turning boxing into a "sick joke" after the pair scored quick knockouts against hapless opponents on the undercard to the Anthony Mundine-Sam Soliman fight.
The newly-decorated IBF junior welterweight warlord derided the heavyweight duo as "an embarrassment to the sport", insisting they are still in pugilistic nappies and don't belong anywhere near a ring.
"I was so disgusted with what I saw at the Entertainment Centre I felt like getting out of my seat and going into the ring and giving them a lesson myself," said the South African-born Ndou.
"Footballers like them thinking they can box turns what is a scientific and artistic sport into a circus. They are making fools out of themselves and fools out of a sport I love.
"If footballers want to fight, go to the gym and learn the basics first.
"I'd rather watch a woman box. I'm training Sharon Anyos, who is the WBC featherweight champion, and she's a better fighter than either of them."
Mason, the 124kg brother of Bulldogs battering ram Willie and a former rugby union player of little renown, took just 1min 59sec to stop John Justice – a 34-year-old former Young ******* leader and philosophy student who had made his mind up to quit boxing before Mason had laid a glove on him.
Hopoate, the one-time NRL mischief maker, clobbered clueless Kiwi Richard Tutaki in two rounds for his sixth straight win since switching sports in a holding and grappling match more suited to the WrestleMania ring.
"If I want to watch brawling, I can go to my local pub any time," scoffed Ndou. "This is a big joke that's tainting boxing. It's like taking a sumo wrestler and putting him into a ballet contest.
"Anthony Mundine is different, he's a former footballer who came from a boxing background – he always had it in his blood. That's why he's a world champion today."
Mason, a self-professed world heavyweight champion in the making, left Ndou incredulous.
"When I saw Les Mason, I felt terrible," he said. "I thought to myself, 'is boxing dying bit by bit'? The guy has got balls for getting in a ring but he doesn't know what he's doing."
Ndou wasn't any kinder to Hopoate, saying: "He's been up against pub fighters which makes him think he's good. But if he comes up against somebody proficient he'll get badly hurt."
He made an exception for former NRL heavyhitter Solomon Haumono, who marked his return to the ring with his ninth straight win – a first-round KO against Fijian fallguy Fatu Tuimanoro.
"The Fijian was a joke but at least Solomon can box," said Ndou. "He has a great trainer in Johnny Lewis and he has potential compared to the other two. He can go somewhere in the sport."
[QUOTE]
Do you think this is fair? Ndou should have a look in his backyard.. running down fighters like his ALI or Frazier
March 09, 2007 12:00
AUSSIE world champion Lovemore Ndou has accused former footballer John Hopoate and Willie Mason's brother Les of turning boxing into a "sick joke" after the pair scored quick knockouts against hapless opponents on the undercard to the Anthony Mundine-Sam Soliman fight.
The newly-decorated IBF junior welterweight warlord derided the heavyweight duo as "an embarrassment to the sport", insisting they are still in pugilistic nappies and don't belong anywhere near a ring.
"I was so disgusted with what I saw at the Entertainment Centre I felt like getting out of my seat and going into the ring and giving them a lesson myself," said the South African-born Ndou.
"Footballers like them thinking they can box turns what is a scientific and artistic sport into a circus. They are making fools out of themselves and fools out of a sport I love.
"If footballers want to fight, go to the gym and learn the basics first.
"I'd rather watch a woman box. I'm training Sharon Anyos, who is the WBC featherweight champion, and she's a better fighter than either of them."
Mason, the 124kg brother of Bulldogs battering ram Willie and a former rugby union player of little renown, took just 1min 59sec to stop John Justice – a 34-year-old former Young ******* leader and philosophy student who had made his mind up to quit boxing before Mason had laid a glove on him.
Hopoate, the one-time NRL mischief maker, clobbered clueless Kiwi Richard Tutaki in two rounds for his sixth straight win since switching sports in a holding and grappling match more suited to the WrestleMania ring.
"If I want to watch brawling, I can go to my local pub any time," scoffed Ndou. "This is a big joke that's tainting boxing. It's like taking a sumo wrestler and putting him into a ballet contest.
"Anthony Mundine is different, he's a former footballer who came from a boxing background – he always had it in his blood. That's why he's a world champion today."
Mason, a self-professed world heavyweight champion in the making, left Ndou incredulous.
"When I saw Les Mason, I felt terrible," he said. "I thought to myself, 'is boxing dying bit by bit'? The guy has got balls for getting in a ring but he doesn't know what he's doing."
Ndou wasn't any kinder to Hopoate, saying: "He's been up against pub fighters which makes him think he's good. But if he comes up against somebody proficient he'll get badly hurt."
He made an exception for former NRL heavyhitter Solomon Haumono, who marked his return to the ring with his ninth straight win – a first-round KO against Fijian fallguy Fatu Tuimanoro.
"The Fijian was a joke but at least Solomon can box," said Ndou. "He has a great trainer in Johnny Lewis and he has potential compared to the other two. He can go somewhere in the sport."
[QUOTE]
Do you think this is fair? Ndou should have a look in his backyard.. running down fighters like his ALI or Frazier
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