Katu in bid for Australian title
THE boxing world including Papua New Guinea will know by tomorrow who is the new super bantamweight champion of Australia when PNG’s own Katu Arang takes on Daniel Iannazoo in the title fight in Melbourne, Australia.
The Morobeen has been enjoying a string of successes since turning professional and moving to Sydney two years ago. He trains at rugby league-cum-professional boxer Anthony Mundine’s gymnasium at Redfern.
Katu from Kabwum in the Morobe province, has overcome the odds in professional boxing to be ranked third in Australia by the Fist Magazine (the officially recognised ANBF rating magazine) will take on Iannazoo who is ranked second above Katu.
The fight will be for the vacant super bantamweight Australian title.
New South Wales (NSW) Boxing Association has recognised Katu’s eight professional boxing bouts in Australia including two undercard fights for Anthony Mundine at Sydney Entertainment Centre and the Gold Coast, both broadcast live by Fox Sports TV to millions worldwide.
The former champion kickboxer turned professional boxer has build up a reputation in Australia as a tough but consistent fighter.
Commentary teams calling the undercard bout for Anthony Mundine on the Gold Coast last year described him as the toughest boxer in the ring of late.
Early in February, Katu lost on split-point decision to Dean Livanos at Randwick for the NSW bantamweight title. It was a brutal match lasting eight, three-minute rounds. Katu was commended by many spectators and boxing experts tagged him as “a brutal entertainer”.
The commentators said it had been a long time since NSW boxing had seen such a very high level of professionalism in the sport in that division.
Both fighters were very competitive and both exhibited very aggressive talent to in their bid for the NSW title. It was a very difficult task for the judges to decide who was to be crowned the champion but eventually, it was awarded to Livanos by a split decision.
The Papua New Guinean trains under the watchful eyes of the renowned Alex Tuitavake, the former Australian, and first world kickboxing champion at Mundine’s Gymnasium at Redfern.
Tuitavake was very satisfied with Katu’s performance during the NSW State title fight and believes Katu has the potential to be the champion in Australia on Friday.
Anthony Mundine has been very pleased with Katu’s performance so far and has promised to take him as an undercard wherever he goes to fight.
Anthony’s father Tony Mundine has indicated that he is extremely happy to facilitate and train more Papua New Guinean at his gymnasium based on the relationship and talent shown by Katu and another boxer Stephen Timbi.
The senior Mundine has indicated his unwavering support for Katu by promising to make his own way to support Katu’s fight in Victoria.
Timbi, another Papua New Guinean who hails from Baiyer area of Western Highlands province, is the only other Papua New Guinean training at Mundine’s gymnasium.
He is another up-coming fighter from Papua New Guinea who is shaping up to be a contender for the big prizes in world boxing.
Dr James Iboro, who has been overseeing both fighters, believes that the two fighters are peaking at the right time.
“There is untapped talent and skills in both of them. Katu has been a well disciplined and committed sportsman who has been very successful in his career and has to be acknowledged for his efforts.”
He said Papua New Guineans have a lot of natural talent but lacked exposure and discipline.
Sports Stories