By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing
Former world cruiserweight challenger Mark “Bam Bam” Flanagan (24-8, 17 KOs) stopped Benjamin Kelleher (14-2-2, 4 KOs) to capture the vacant Australian cruiserweight crown on Saturday at the Entertainment Centre in Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Referee Chris Condon crowned Flanagan in round five.
On the undercard, Rugby union and rugby league football legend Sonny Bill Williams (8-0, 3 KOs) returned to the ring after six years of inactivity to score a close six round points victory over cruiserweight Faikato Falefhi (2-15, 2 KOs). Falefhi dropped Williams in round two but he recovered to be awarded the decision by scores of 57-56, 57-56, 57-56. Williams has a ten round victory over former IBF heavyweight champion Frans Botha in 2013.
Williams is eyeing million dollar fights with fellow football legends Paul Gallen and Barry Hall, which could happen later in 2021.
“I hope so, hopefully I can get a fight or two in before then and sharpen up a bit more,” Williams told the Townsville Bulletin. “It felt good (coming back), until I got a couple of those bombs. That is the sport of boxing. You don’t play boxing, that is for sure. I am just doing my due diligence to respect the sport.
“It was pretty hard, but after five years out I would expect nothing different. I hope everyone enjoyed that, I know where I am as a boxer, but I am just trying to learn as much as I can.”
Promoter Angelo DiCarlo
What an exciting night it was to watch Sonny & Mark both come away with wins on the same night…the other fighters were just as amazing..Dennis Clancy my hat goes off to you for scoring such great talent..Thank You!
I wouldn’t be surprised if Falefhi got robbed. Australian boxing officials are a joke. Remember when the Williams-Botha fight got cut from 10 rounds to 8 during the fight to protect the hometown boy from losing?