PNG fighters impress, focus on Sydney bouts

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The National, Wednesday 5th June 2013

 By JACK AMI

IT was all action as PNG’s Jeffrey Daka floored Australia’s Ricky Mellor in the third round for the World Kickboxing Federation sanctioned South Pacific Title in the light weight division last Saturday.

Jonathan Tuhu and Kaupa Omena were very impressive on their performance against their skillful opponentsIndonesia’s Alfa Tubagus and Eka Areka, to win the inter-contential and South Pacific Titles respectively in front of their home crowd.

As announced by the WKF director and CEO Fritz Exenberger, the winners Daka, Tuhu, Omena and Andy Sam, have qualified for a Sydney event Aug 25.

PNG Kickboxing CEO Stanley Nandex said Daka and Tuhu were impressive and had the ability to keep on going under pressure.

He said the four now had to prepare themselves’ physically and mentally to fight away from PNG, in a space of three months.

“The team will need K20,000 to travel to Sydney for the challenge against some of the best in the world who were yet to be finalised,” Nandex said.

At the Sir John Guise indoor complex, the Southern Highlander and the Aussie exchanged combination of kicks and punch but in the end Daka’s powerful shot landed on Mellors left leg and collapsed him to the floor.

PNG referee Jamuga Stone had to stop the fight and the judges awarded the fiery battle Daka on Technical Knock Out (TKO).