Daniel Geale will set his sights on the million-dollar paydays in the US and Europe after retaining his IBF middleweight world title with a unanimous points decision over Ghanaian Osumanu Adama in Hobart.
The Real Deal proved he’s just that, triumphing in a tactical game of cat and mouse to successfully defend the title he first won from Sebastian Sylvester in Germany last year for a second time.
The 31-year-old had vowed to silence the bluster from his US-based opponent and answered it with a 117-111, 115-113, 118-110 victory.
Geale paid tribute to the man who called him a “ballet dancer” in the lead-up to the fight.
“He came to me, put the pressure on me. I had to go forward, put the pressure on him,” he said.
“I showed him how us Tasmanians do it.”
Geale said he was now ready to take the next step in his career, with a fight oversees the most logical option.
“We’ve got to prepare for the best,” he said.
“We’re heading overseas now, we’re going to fight the best in the world and we’re going to bring those titles back.”
Australia’s Billy Dib was also succesful, having retained his IBF featherweight world title, with Mexican challenger Eduardo Escobedo calling off the fight after the sixth round in Hobart.
Escobedo had called Dib a “little pussy” in the lead-up but Dib relentlessly attacked his opponent, unleashing a flurry of punches in the fifth and sixth rounds before the smaller Mexican’s camp signalled the fight was over.
Escobedo went down in the first round but it was the result of a low blow from Dib, who earned the ire of the referee with repeated warnings.
It didn’t faze Dib, who celebrated wildly with his supporters after the victory.
The 26-year-old known as ‘Billy the Kid’ notched a 14th straight win in his second defence of the title he first won last year against Mexican Jorge Lacierva.
The Sydneysider’s record now stands at 34-1.
Dib was desperate to impress in the high profile double-header with fellow Australian Daniel Geale, and says he is now likely to take his talents back to the US for a tilt at the big money fights.
“I’m trying to take on the best,” he said
“I’m ready to get to America now.”
“I’m about making history,” he said
His management is eyeing a showdown with the winner of this weekend’s WBO title re-match between Puerto Rico’s Juan Manuel Lopez and Mexico’s Orlando Salido.
Veteran Australian Kali Meehan lost his IBF pan-Pacific heavyweight title, his corner throwing in the towel in the sixth round of his bout with American Travis Walker.
by Buford Balony
