Alex Leapai has confirmed former Junior Olympics and Junior World Amateur champion Malik Scott as his next opponent, after becoming the first Australian in 106 years to fight for the world heavyweight title in April.
From Austria to Australia, flamboyant American heavyweight Malik Scott fulfilled his duties as sparring partner for World heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko before jetting into Brisbane to ink a deal to take on hometown hero, Alex Leapai.The Leapai-Malik Scott bout marks a world-class confrontation between two boxers hungry for redemption.
Both are coming off last round losses; Leapai was stopped in the fifth round of his World title showdown with Klitschko in Germany last April, while Scott had his undefeated professional run of 36 wins halted with two successive losses in the last two years, against highly rated Englishman Dereck Chisora and the WBC’s top contender, American Deontay Wilder.
In all likelihood, the victor from their October 24 duel will have their World title aspirations back on track, while the loser may well be considering their future away from international boxing.
Thirty-three year-old Scott is a lookalike for basketball great Dennis Rodman.
Standing at 6’4 he has a distinct 10cm advantage over Leapia and is a former Junior Olympics and Junior World Amateur champion.
Leapai, 34, became the first Australian in 106 years to fight for the World heavyweight title.
The Brisbane father of six wants nothing more than a second chance at a World title, in a sport that has already provided him a second chance in life.
Alex Leapai: age 34, 30 wins, 5 losses (24 KO).
knockout punch known as the ‘Samoan bowler’.
Nickname: ‘The Lionheart’.
Weight 110kg, stands 6′.
Trained by Noel Thornberry
Malik Scott: age 33, 36 wins, 2 losses (13 KO).
Nickname: King.
Weight 105kg, stands 6’4.
Trained by Jesse Rei
Read more at http://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=ALEXLEAP14#3TGd0E4mmwSQ0DZ1.99
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
