Sam Soliman vs Les Sherrington fight at the Melbourne Pavilion Picture Norm Oorloff Source: Norm Oorloff / News Limited
BOXER Sam Soliman's dream of a late-life world title remains alive with German star Felix Sturm squarely in his sights for the second time this year.
The popular Melbourne veteran knocked out Queenslander Les Sherrington _ just as he promised he would _ in the ninth of 12 scheduled rounds at The Pavilion in Flemington last night in his first fight for almost a year.
The International Boxing Federation had confirmed Soliman as the No 1 contender for its middleweight title provided he won last night and now he is on the brink of his first shot at a world crown, which he has craved throughout a 16 year professional career.
Sturm reclaimed the title when he knocked out England's Darren Barker in Germany last weekend, but was surprisingly outpointed by Soliman in Germany in February, which was later declared a no-contest after a disputed drug test positive.
Soliman's manager David Stanley says theyhave a written guarantee, signed by IBF president Daryl Peoples and Sturm, that the confrontation must now take place, althoug boxing policits can be unpredictable.
"I want to let Felix Sturm know that he has tried to take me politically and failed and tired to take me in the ring and failed and now I''m coming after him," Soliman told his fans, who brough the rooof down with three cheers.
"Now I'm going to smash him _ put a hole in him."
Soliman turned 40 last month and knows his next loss will be his last fight but that never looked like happening last night, even though he was giving away nine years and several cenitmetres to his opponent..
After a scrappy start. Soliman took control in the second round with slippery, aggressive ringcraft with which Sherrington simply could not cope.
Soliman knocked him down in the eighth and ahgain two minutes and 12 seconds into the ninth, at which point Sherrington's trainer Brendon Smith told the breferrr Charlie Lucas: "Enough is enough."
"I was beaten by a way better fighter _ I tried but I had no answer," Sherrington said.
"He's No 1 in the world and showed that."
The win was Soliman's ninth in a row _ counting the one over Sturm_ dating back to August, 2005, when Sydney's Anthony Mundine beat him for the second time in Melbourne. He has now 43 of 54 fights, 17 of them by knockout.
Last night's victory earned him the WBA Pan Asia Boxing Association's interim title and a top-10 ranking with that sanctioning body, but that was of little importance compared to at last having a world title within reach.
The IBF title has changed hands three times in little more than a year, with Australian Danial Geale taking it off Sturm, England's Darren Barker relieving Geale of it earlier this year, and Sturm knocking out Barker in Germany last weekend.
Having come from behind _ he was knocked down early _ to emphatically upset Sturm last time, Soliman is supremely confident he can do it again.
Sherrington, who had won his last six and 14 of his last 15 for an overall record of 33-6, looked to be a dangerous opponent given his age and height advantages, but had never fought anyone of Soliman's class and experience _ and it showed.
Soliman earned the TKO of Sherrington after keeping his tempo high and staying busy inside. This allowed "King" Soliman to dictate the pace of the fight for the opening rounds.
Soliman then flicked the switch, landing a huge left hand that rocked Sherrington in round seven. Sherrington's corner threw in the towel mid-way through after Soliman dropped the Queenslander for the second time.
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