Harry Garside wins second professional fight on points over Maneur Matet

Harry Garside has earned himself a second professional victory, the Aussie Olympic hero remaining perfect with a unanimous points decision over Manuer Matet.

Harry Garside took the win in dominant fashion.

Tick. Tick.

Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Harry Garside’s move into professional boxing has taken another giant leap forward, with the Aussie taking down the dangerous Maneur Matet on Wednesday night in Sydney.

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Garside (2-0), in just his second professional bout, was taking a serious risk against the dangerous Matet (4-2) in a bid for the Australian lightweight title.

But the impressive young prospect’s speed and timing proved a problem for Matet, who lived in refugee camps before moving to Australia at 13.

Harry Garside took the win in dominant fashion.

Garside claimed victory via unanimous decision, 98-92 x2, 99-91.

Matet was game from the opening bell, having his moments in an opening round that still went Garside’s way, with the Olympian’s agility a class above his opponents’.

“He’s moving beautifully Harry Garside,” veteran analyst Barry Michael said on Fox Sports.

“He has impeccable timing. He got caught a few but the majority of the time he’s making Matet miss and then landing his own, and then he skips away.”

Lead commentator Ben Damon added: “It’s mature boxing.”

In the final minute of the third round Garside began to land heavy blows all over Matet, causing him to lose his mouthguard, while he looked to tire somewhat in the fourth round chasing Garside all over the ring.

“How much more of this can Matet take?” Michael asked.

“He hasn’t got an answer for him (Garside). He’s in, he’s out, he’s sideways. Harry is boxing his ears off.”

Garside’s general control continued through the later rounds with Matet attempting to get more aggressive until it backfired, as the tired underdog copped a vicious flurry late in the ninth round, seeing Garside strut back to his corner.

Born in Ferntree Gully, Garside’s first pro win came via a first-round TKO against Sachin Mudaliar last December.

FULL FIGHT CARD AND RESULTS

Harry Garside def Manuer Matet via unanimous decision [98-92 x2, 99-91] (Vacant Australian lightweight title, 10x3min rounds)

Paulo Aokuso def Michael Van Nimwegen via corner retirement, 2:10 into Round 5 (Vacant ANBF Australasian Light Heavyweight title, 8x3min rounds)

Shanell Dargan went to a majority draw with Ashleigh Sims [39-37 Dargan, 38-38 x2] (Super featherweight, 4x2min rounds)

Hassan Hamdan def Ryan Cotten via unanimous decision [50-45 x3] (Welterweight, 5x3 min rounds)

Alex Lual def Aaron Kay via KO, 2:13 into Round 2 (Super lightweight, 5x3min rounds)

Blake Wells def Renold Quinlan via unanimous decision [55-58, 56-57, 55-59] (Catchweight, 6x3min rounds)

Tyler Blizzard def Daniel Harwood via unanimous decision [36-38 x2, 37-38] (Super bantamweight, 4x3min rounds)

Broken dream: Aussie boxing star’s world title blow

—Peter Badel

Jai Opetaia’s world title hopes are in disarray after suffering broken ribs in sparring in a disastrous build-up to the biggest fight of his life against Latvian champion Mairis Briedis.

News Corp can reveal Opetaia’s showdown with IBF cruiserweight kingpin Briedis, scheduled for May 11 on the Gold Coast, has been put on hold after the unbeaten Australian southpaw was injured in training last week.

It is a painful setback for Opetaia, who has compiled a flawless record, winning 21 consecutive fights, 17 by knockout, and was primed for his maiden world-title shot against the powerful Briedis (28-1, 20KO).

The Opetaia-Briedis blockbuster also represented the first world-title fight on Australian soil since Jeff Horn successfully defended his WBO welterweight belt against Gary Corcoran in 2017.

Promoters will confirm Opetaia’s injury in the next 24 hours. The Brieidis camp has been informed of Opetaia’s sparring mishap, with the parties in negotiations to reschedule the world-title bout later this year, possibly in late June or early July.

It is understood Opetaia had his ribs cracked after copping a body shot from Australian cruiserweight rival Jason Whateley (9-0, 8KO) in sparring last Thursday.

The 26-year-old was rushed to hospital, with scans confirming his ribs had been broken. Opetaia had surgery on Sunday to insert a metal plate, ending any hope of the classy Sydney southpaw facing Briedis in his moment of truth in May.

Jai Opetaia will have surgery on broken ribs. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty

Opetaia faces a six-week recovery and promoters are hopeful he will make a full recovery to eventually jump in the ring with Briedis in June or July.

It is the second time the IBF cruiserweight bout has been delayed, with an initial April 6 showdown postponed after Briedis contracted Covid.

Opetaia is ruing his bad luck. One of Australia’s finest pound-for-pound boxers, the slick and quick Opetaia is only one fight back from an earlier operation he underwent last year, when he had four metal pins inserted on a broken hand he had battled for five years.

Having recovered successfully from his hand injury, Opetaia moved camp to the Gold Coast and produced a third-round stoppage of Daniel Russell in his comeback fight last December.

While the world-title bout remains intact, the tumultuous build-up will not aid Opetaia’s hopes of upsetting Briedis in his big break.

The 37-year-old Briedis will start as red-hot favourite and has lost just one fight in his decorated 13-year professional career, a close majority decision to undefeated Ukraine superstar Oleksandr Usyk (19-0, 13KO) in 2018.

Originally published as Harry Garside wins second professional fight on points over Maneur Matet