Fight Club: Ref controversy in Olympic medallist Harry Garside’s pro boxing debut

The Working Class Man of Australian boxing might have won, but a referee’s decision is all anyone is talking about after Olympic hero Harry Garside’s pro debut.

Harry Garside won his debut professional fight. Picture: Getty Images

Australia’s boxing future arrived, aptly, to Working Class Man.

In his corner, Johnny Lewis.

With the legendary trainer, shortly before the opening bell, giving his young charge all bad haircut, strong tattoos, and outstanding right hand a hug.

Then … well, Harry Garside went and won his hyped professional debut in the first round.

Albeit via controversial first round stoppage, sure.

Harry Garside won his debut professional fight. Picture: Getty Images

With his Fijian rival Sachin Mudaliar, after receiving a barrage of punches while trapped in the corner, actually throwing a punch back himself when the fight, inexplicably, was stopped by the referee.

Immediately, Mudaliar protested.

As filthy as he seemed unhurt.

Yet regardless of all that, Garside is here.

Worse stoppage than a Herb Dean stoppage. Best fight of the night and they pull that shit? What a joke #GallenLussick

— Matt Wilson (@GingaNinja1987) December 22, 2021

With the Olympic bronze medallist revealing afterwards that he carried an injured left hand into the fight.

Which may explain why the breakout lightweight hit his Fijian rival so heavily, and often, with that right early, on several occasions ripping heavily into the body.

Asked about his debut afterwards, Garside said: “It was awesome to fight here in Australia.

“As amateurs we travel all over the world. But I love this country with all my heart.”

Soon enough, you reckon the opposite will also be true.

Garside lands a blow on opponent Sachin Mudaliar. Picture: Getty Images

Same deal Aussie super bantamweight Sam Goodman, who finished his night skolling beers while perched on the shoulders of his mates in the crowd, singing Sweet Caroline.

Good times.

Already undefeated in nine fights, Goodman claimed the WBO Oriental super bantamweight title with a convincing sixth round stoppage of Filipino Richie Mepranum (36-8-1)

Buoyed by a personal cheer squad of roughly 200, Goodman stopped his rival in the sixth with a big shot to the body, then head – with Mepranum going down and showing no interest in getting up.

Sam Goodman laid out Richie Mepranum to a raucous response from the crowd. Picture: Getty Images

Cue madness in the bleachers.

“They come out every time,” Goodman said afterwards, pointing to the mob as they cheered his name. “They’re f … ing rad.”

So too Goodman, who would soon be celebrating, belt strapped about his weight, among the mob.

Despite facing a rival who threw what he described as “awkward s…”, the Albion Park native quickly “found my range, found my rhythm”.

“I knew I’d break him,” he added.

“And that’s what happened.”

Goodman with the spoils of victory. Picture: Getty Images

Despite being based out of Albion Park, Goodman is currently working under the tutelage of respected fight trainer Joel Keegan, whose Complete Boxing gym is based at West Gosford – a tick over 200km away.

Prior to the fight, Goodman told us he expects to go top 15 with the win, and plans to have himself into a world title fight within two years.

Same deal Garside.

Yep, Australia’s boxing future has arrived.

UFC fighter Alexander Volkanovski latest deal likely to cap the biggest month in Australian MMA history.

Volkanovski mega fight to headline UFC 272

UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski is set to headline UFC 272 with a trilogy bout against Max Holloway, with the two teams now in negotiations.

As revealed on these pages last week, UFC executives have already told Volkanovski to start making preparations for a third title defence Stateside in March.

While no rival was initially mentioned, Fight Club can now reveal Volkanovski’s management have begun the negotiating process with Holloway as rival.

Once the title fight is finalised, it will cap the biggest month in Australian MMA history — with Robert Whittaker also getting his own hyped rematch with middleweight king Israel Adesanya at UFC 271.

That fight will take place in Houston, Texas on February 13 (AEST).

It means that within the space of a month, Australia could have two UFC champions for the first time in the nation’s history.

While Volkanovski is already in training for Holloway, he will take a brief break on Wednesday night to help call the Main Event boxing card involving Paul Gallen and Darcy Lussick.

Both the UFC champ and Jeff Fenech are set to join the commentary team as analysts.

Back in 2019, Volkanovski took the UFC title from Holloway in a huge upset at UFC 245 in Las Vegas.

The Wollongong native then defended the belt again in 2020, this time via a contentious split decision at UFC 251, before earning a second defence against Brian Ortega in September.

Currently, Volkanovski is ranked second on the UFC pound-for-pound rankings — easily the highest spot ever held by an Australian.

Whittaker, meanwhile, is at No. 13 on the same list.

Volkanovski has also gone undefeated in all 10 UFC fights, while his current winning run overall stretches to 20 fights and a staggering eight years.

Road trips all part of the journey for Goodman

Australian super bantamweight Sam Goodman is driving his white Holden Barina up to four hours a day, three times a week, in his bid to become a world champion.

Despite being based out of Albion Park, Goodman is currently working under the tutelage of respected fight trainer Joel Keegan, whose Complete Boxing gym is based at West Gosford — a tick over 200km away.

“So I’m in the car a fair bit,” says Goodman, who fights Richie Mepranum (36-8-1) for the WBO Oriental super bantamweight title on Wednesday.

“Right now, I’ve only got a little Barina but I need to get myself something better soon because I’ve actually gone through a couple of cars.

“(Laughs) So if there is a car sponsor out there anywhere, somebody who can help me out, I’d really appreciate it.

“Through the week I usually stay on the coast with a family friend — they’ve been unreal in the way they look after me — but then I’m still down to Sydney a couple of times for sparring.

“Then I’ll go home Friday and come back up to Gosford Saturday for more sparring.

“And when I do drive back up I’ll sometimes get my dad to drive, or my brother-in-law who also does some sparring. It’s a bit of driving but right now it works for me.”

Goodman expects to go top 15 with a win on Wednesday night, and plans to have himself into a world title fight within two years.

“That’s the plan — winning multiple world titles in multiple divisions,” he said.

“But it’s a process.

“You only have to look at how long it’s taken guys like Tim Tszyu and the Moloney boys. So I just need to do my due diligence and take the right fights.”