Asofa-Solomona in thunderous professional boxing debut
Darren Walton |
Nelson Asofa-Solomona has made a successful professional boxing debut with a thunderous victory over former NRL journeyman Jeremy Latimore.
The super-sized Asofa-Solomona knocked out Latimore with a massive uppercut just two minutes, 22 seconds into the first round of Friday night’s heavyweight stoush in Brisbane.
Disillusioned after missing Melbourne’s past two grand final losses because of suspension, the two-time Storm premiership winner turned down a reported $800,000-a-season deal with Parramatta – one of Latimore’s five former clubs – to have a crack in the ring instead.
“You can’t get sent off in boxing,” he famously said after announcing his NRL defection in November.
Fighting on the undercard to Nikita Tszyu’s domestic blockbuster with Michael Zerafa, the so-called “Big Nasty” proved an instant hit.
Latimore, 39, was giving away 10 years and 22 kilograms to the 133kg Asofa-Solomona – and the former Eels, Warriors, St George Illawarra, Penrith and Cronulla cult figure could not last a solitary round.
“I want to clean up the whole NRL division and then we go from there,” Asofa-Solomona said when asked who his next target was.
“Any NRL player can get it.”
Earlier, Brisbane home-town hero Liam Wilson stopped Rodex Piala in the fourth round to edge a step closer to what he hopes is a super-featherweight world-title rematch with Mexican legend Emanuel Navarrete.
After being on the wrong end of a heavy right hook to the head in round two, Wilson replied with a thunderous body shot that left the Filipino writhing in pain on the canvas for several minutes.
The doctor was quickly on the scene tending to Wilson’s wounded opponent as the 29-year-old Queenslander celebrated his spectacular knockout victory.
“I feel like I’m blessed with that right hand,” Wilson said.
AAP
