Bantamweight Champ Tim Austin Impresses
Before Heavyweight Title "Fight"
By Tony Nobbs
17.12.01 - In the main support to
last nights John Ruiz - Evander Holyfield "fight"
at Foxwoods Resort, Connecticut, Tim Austin displayed
the boxing skills that have many good judges rating
him as one of the top 10 pound for pounders in the
business when he comprehensively outpointed fellow
southpaw Ratanachai Sor Vorapin to retain his IBF
Bantamweight Title for the eighth successive time.
Working off a snappy right jab and
good side to side movement, the 5'6 Austin used his
height and reach advantages to dominate at long range.
He also had success when he dug in right rips to the
kidneys. Vorapin tried hard all night but only occassionaly
could find a way inside where he worked Austin's body
with both hands. Vorapin was warned repeatedly for
low blows and was deducted a point in the sixth by
referee Micheal Ortega. From this moment on it was
a one sided affair, though Ratanachai did enough to
win the ninth when he had Timmy backing off after
a three punch combination. On the outside the tough
challenger from Korat, Thailand sat on an overhand
left hand, connecting a few times early but rarely
caught "The Cincinnati Kid" with more than
one solid punch at a time.
Vorapin is no slow-coach but the longer
the fight went the more obvious Austin's superior
hand and foot speed was. A short left uppercut in
the opening minute of the eleventh round snapped Vorapins
head back and he looked in bother most of this round
where he gave ground. Knowing he needed a knockout
to win, the former IBF Super Fly Champ came out loking
for the home run. He caught Austin with some hard
shots but the 1992 Olympic Bronze Medallist did enough
to keep him honest. Austin tripped with one minute
to go. The win takes Austin's record to 24-0-1, 21
knockouts while Vorapin slips to 40-6, with 28 inside
the distance. The official scores were unanimous 115-112,
117-110, 118-109. This writer's card had it 117-110
, Austin. Both weighed right on the 118 lb limit.
Austin would unify the Bantamweights if he got the
opportunity.He appears to need a marquee name to assure
his place in the history. He has the talent but at
30 years of age time might not be on his side. Vorapin,
25, previously outpointed by Mark Johnson, entered
the ring #4 by the IBF and was coming off an impressive
ten round win over former two division champ Danny
Romero on the Hopkins-Trinidad card.
Tim Austin has come along way since
he began boxing as a youngster. He has lost several
close family members and was hit by a car as a child.Trained
by the underated (or overated, depending on who you
talk to) Aaron snowell he won the title by an eight
round knockout of Mbulelo Botile in July 1997 after
suffering a broken jaw in the first. Snowell, a Don
King man, has trained Mike Tyson, Julian Jackson and
Frankie Randall. He also helped Slim Robinson with
a young Tim Witherspoon in the early 80's.
Finally, as if it matters, I thought
Evander Holyfield deserved to become a five time holder
of a Heavyweight Belt, by a score of 117-111. And
like everyone else, no I do not want to see a fourth
fight. I'd like to see Evander, one of boxings truest
ever warriors, retire.But I'm not holding my breath.
Until Lennox Lewis retires or is defeated the World
knows who its Heavyweight king is. And no,it is certainly
not John Ruiz.
Tony Nobbs, Australia
