Daniels creates NZ boxing history with second world title

Lani Daniels has added the IBF's light heavyweight title to her collection having won that organisation's vacant heavyweight trinket in May.

In the penultimate fight of a big night of boxing action in Whangarei, Daniels defeated Australia’s Desley Robinson in a majority decision.

It was a brutal and thrilling contest, although closer than what the large crowd expected with the three judges scoring it 95-95, 97-93, 96-99, so an incredibly narrow win for Daniels.

The first three rounds were tight, but Robinson started to get on top in the fourth round.

There was not much in the way of defence from either boxer in the next round as Daniels and Robinson continuously traded blows, hoping that one of them would be the knockout punch.

Daniels landed better blows in the seventh round as the fight looked to be going her way.

The Kiwi looked to edge the final three rounds, but Robinson continued with her all-out attacking plan.

However, neither boxer looked like they were being on the wrong end of a TKO and the fight went to the judges.

Earlier, Jerome Pampellone’s boxing stocks continued to rise as he recorded the biggest victory of his career.

Pampellone destroyed Rogelio Medina from Mexico in the opening round to show that he’s ready for some seriously big fights on the world stage.

The British-born Kiwi put his unbeaten record on the line, with 17 wins in a row coming into this bout, but this was a significant jump in the quality of his opponent.

The veteran Medina has produced 35 knockouts over his 16-year career and been in the ring with seven former or current world championships.

But few other boxers have defeated him as convincingly as Pampellone did.

Pampellone is ranked inside the top 10 by the IBF, is regarded as one of New Zealand’s best boxers, and this win will further increase his reputation.

Just 70 seconds into the first round, Pampellone threw a combination of punches that sent Medina to the floor and soon after it was all over as a right hook shook the Mexican to his core and forced the referee to step in.

This issue of Sunday Star-Times was published before Mea Motu’s fight against Chandi Mehra. Fo to stuff.co.nz for all the action and reaction