Deklam takes on Fijian

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The National, Wednesday July 10th, 2013

 SUPER middleweight John Deklam and Fijian Iosefa Cakaunivalu will square off this Sunday for the World Professional Boxing Federation title on Sunday at the Sir John Guise Complex.

The scheduled 10-rounder will pit the undefeated Deklam (3-0, 1KO) in a contest that could launch the East New Britain/Western native’s short professional resume.

Cakaunivalu (1-1, 1KO) has one win by knock out but was stopped in his last fight in 2011 by Pita Tabuarua in Suva. 

Deklam on the other hand has three straight wins with one knock out.

All of Deklam’s fights were in 2009 with the technically proficient Papua New Guinean beating Kairuku’s Victor Lani, Indonesian Emmanuel Gebze and Filipino Junmar Dulog all at the Hideaway Hotel in Port Moresby.

Deklam, according to PNG Boxing Federation vice-president Alex Rihatta, is looking forward for the bout and determined to continue his unbeaten record on home soil.

Rihatta said the regular shows put on by the PNGBF were benefiting local fighters giving them valuable experience and enabling them to develop their ring craft.

“Our local boys are strong punchers who go straight at their opponents and fight hard but they do need to develop some more boxing skills and techniques to improve their chances of winning fights,’ Rihatta said. 

In the other bouts Mekeo’s Joe “Bullet” Kara takes on Filipino Melvin Lee Dela Cruz Soriano for the WPBF youth title in the bantamweight (53kg) 12-rounder.

The main bout is the rematch between WPBF bantamweight title holder Dado Cabintoy of the Philipines and challenger Jason Hayeu of Manus.