Sam Goodman v Cesar Vaca: Live updates, results and how to watch
Stevan Ivic and Toese Vousiutu have faced off in a ‘fight of the year’ contender as Sam Goodman and Harry Garside earned crucial victories in their returns to the ring.
Just months after having his world title dreams yanked away from him due to back-to-back cuts, an emotional Sam Goodman fought through more blood on the way to a unanimous decision win over messy Mexican brawler Cesar Vaca.
Goodman was cut on each eye in the one-sided victory as he moved back towards another shot at a super-bantamweight world title.
In the co-main event at the Hordern Pavilion, Harry Garside overcame his own cut to make a triumphant return to professional boxing, but it was a pair of heavyweight sluggers who stole the show at the Hordern Pavilion.
In a fight that is already being touted as the best heavyweight clash in Australian boxing history, Stevan Ivic fought through the fire to defend his Australian title in a brutal, bloody and bruising 10-round war with Toese Vousiutu.
At the top of the card though, Goodman’s unanimous decision win over Cesar Vaca didn’t come easy after suffering a cut under his left eye from a wild left hook, and over his right eye following a head clash in the ninth round.
It was tougher than the Albion Park Assassin would have liked, but the 26-year-old eventually won with scores of 99-92, 99-91 and 100-90.
“I tried to get through it without any cuts, but it’s not my style this year,” he said.
“I thought I was getting through it, but in the eighth round, I slipped and he got me with a beautiful punch.
“But the next one was a head butt, and the last two rounds was getting through it and winning the fight.”
An emotional Goodman choked back tears as he spoke about his rollercoaster last few months.
“The last six months of my life has been wild,” he said.
“But my team…I wouldn’t have gotten through it without you.
“A lot of work, a lot of support. It was tough, but I’ve got all them behind me.
“Back to stitches, back to the gym.
“I don’t know what’s next – a couple of stitches – but I’ll be back in the gym and then we’ll go.”
The win sees Goodman throw himself back into the super-bantamweight title mix.
He has been linked to an IBF or WBO interim world title fight that was once rumoured to be on Tim Tszyu’s rematch with Sebastian Fundora, and Manny Pacquiao’s comeback in July.
It’s too early to tell whether the cuts will keep him from appearing on that July 19 card in Las Vegas.
In the fight of the night earlier, Queensland heavyweight Ivic thought he had the win in the bag in the sixth when he dropped Vousiutu after a barrage of punishment.
Vousiutu did well just to survive the frame, and still looked out on his feet at the start of the seventh.
But Vousiutu pulled something from the heavens as he put on a merciless beating of Ivic over the next three minutes.
“I thought I had him in the sixth round,” Ivic said. “Then in the seventh he beat the shit out of me.
“I was like, ‘What the f**k?’”
Ivic will take some time off, but is already being lined up for another defence against Sydney’s Liam Talivaa.
Garside’s comeback nearly came undone in the very first round after suffering a bad cut on his left eye following a head clash.
The cut poured blood down his chest, with veteran cornerman Tony del Vecchio working overtime in the corner to stem the flow.
Garside promised Code Sports that he would start sitting down on his punches in the second installment of his professional career, and he did just that against game Queenslander Charlie Bell.
The finish was underwhelming though, with referee Les Fear calling it off before the start of the fifth and final round.
Bell was furious in the corner, and needed to be held back by a cornerman as he protested the stoppage, but was well behind on the cards.
Relive all the action here.
Originally published as Sam Goodman v Cesar Vaca: Live updates, results and how to watch
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