Paulo Aokuso sensationally misses weight ahead of headline debut

Most people thought Renold Quinlan would miss weight ahead of his fight with Paulo Aokuso, but it was the other way around, and now the Dunghutti Destroyer wants a slice of Aokuso’s purse.

Renold Quinlan is demanding a bigger payday after Paulo Aokuso sensationally missed weight ahead of their light heavyweight headliner on Wednesday night.

Aokuso tipped the scales at 79.66 at Moore Park on Tuesday afternoon, which is 260 grams over the limit.

It was a shock to everyone, considering Quinlan missed weight for his last fight against Lucas Miller in June.

Quinlan even had a stipulation in his contract stating he’d have to give up his entire fight purse if he missed the light heavyweight limit.

The 16-12 Dunghutti Destroyer now says he should be paid a slice of rising star Aokuso’s fight check.

Quinlan had no problems with making weight, hitting the scales with a big gold watch on his wrist. Picture: No Limit/Gregg Porteous

“They said if I don’t make weight, they take all my purse, no second chances or anything,” Quinlan told this masthead. “Now he’s come in overweight and they said they won’t lose the weight.

“It was gonna be my purse, so now it can be his purse.

“The weight doesn’t bother me, but I should get something, because I guarantee if I was over, they’d have taken my purse.”

The 4-0 Aokuso said he’d been battling illness in the lead-up to the fight, but was confident the bout would still go ahead.

“It is what it is, I’ve been sick with the flu for the last couple of weeks,” he told this masthead. “My coach was telling me to focus on weight, or focus on my health. I had to listen to my coach and it is what it is.

“I was only over by 200 grams or something, which is really nothing. It’s not a title fight or anything.”

Aokuso is one of Australian boxing’s fastest rising stars. Picture: No Limit/Gregg Porteous

No Limit Promotions CEO George Rose was still in discussions about how to proceed, but said the bout would definitely go ahead.

“One thing we’ve learned in this business is that everything we’ve planned doesn’t always go to plan,” he told this masthead. “We need to be ready to adapt and do what we’ve gotta do.

“There are discussions happening right now about what needs to happen, because it’s such a big fight for both of them.

“For Paulo to stamp his authority on Australia and to head off for world title opportunities, and for Renold to stamp his name as the most dangerous guy in the division in Australian boxing.”

The 34-year-old Quinlan has a reputation as a giant killer after huge upset wins over Daniel Geale in 2016 and rising star Jack Bowen last year.

He claimed the IBO super middleweight world title by beating Geale, while Bowen was an undefeated prospect – similar to Aokuso – when Quinlan knocked him out in the fifth round.

Sweet P and the Dunghutti Destroyer will go head-to-head on Wednesday night. Picture: No Limit/Gregg Porteous

“That (Geale) fight was my big opportunity to show Australia that I’m the best, so I went away and trained and trained,” Quinlan said. “That was the most work I’d ever put into a fight camp.

“I promised to knock him out in five, and I think I got him in two.

“In other fights I’ve taken shortcuts, and haven’t done what I should’ve been doing. When I fought Chris Eubank I was eating Macca’s and not training.

“But for Jack Bowen it was the same mindset as the Geale fight, and it’s the same for this one too.”

Quinlan and Aokuso exchanged words while facing off after the weigh-ins, with Quinlan labelling ‘Sweet Pea’ “the next Jack Bowen.”

Unfazed, Aokuso is confident of making it an early night.

“I stop him,” he said. “I stop him and I retire him. That’s it.”

Aokuso wasn’t the only fighter to miss weight on the four fight card.

Ankush Houda missed the super welterweight limit ahead of his fight with Isaias Sette, before Troy O’Meley missed the same mark by a whopping two kilograms as he prepares to fight Jack Brubaker.

Originally published as Paulo Aokuso sensationally misses weight ahead of headline debut