Broughton steps up, show Rumbles on - March 2015
WRESTLE FEST: Wanganui's Sabin Hayward pulls Kapiti's Ryo Maeda back enough to set up a knee strike in their modified Muay Thai fight at the River City Rumble on Saturday.
THE other Wanganui fighters on the undercard of the River City Rumble had some difficult propositions to overcome at the War Memorial Hall on Saturday night.
No one could doubt the courage of Awa Kings Whanganui's Carlos Broughton, who on only two hours notice agreed to step in for Kory O'Neil to fight the dangerous Gareth Wellington from Hydras Kickboxing Club in Eltham.
Both men scored with early kicks before Broughton tied up the always looming Wellington, then managed to back him off with a good kick.
However, Wellington kept pressing, landing punches to swing momentum his way.
The Taranaki fighter earned some boos in round two after he dumped Broughton over to stop a flurry of kicks, then looked frustrated as he unloaded with stiff combinations against the battered home town fighter at the ropes but couldn't get the stoppage.
Broughton came back yet again and scored with some good kicks and knees early in the final round, before getting caught in another slug fest in the corner.
Wellington chased Broughton to finish but could not land the decisive shot, claiming a split decision from the judges. Still, Broughton was cheered warmly as he left the ring and the manager from Wellington's corner even made a point to come back out and congratulate the young man on the microphone for being willing to step up with zero preparation time.
The other Awa Kings fighter Sabin Hayward felt like he had signed up for amateur wrestling or an MMA bout after Kapiti Thai Boxing's Ryo Maeda spent three rounds charging head first at him and wrapping him up into the ropes. With a considerable height advantage, Hayward was not able to keep the hurtling Maeda at effective striking distance, but was able to grapple his head into position for some vicious knee strikes.
Sick of it by the second round, Hayward fought fire with fire and swung Maeda into the corners, but that let the plucky visitor get in a couple of good punches from underneath. The cross country wrestling continued into the third round before Hayward was finally able to back Maeda up with his knees, then got in a couple of good punches and kicks by the end of the fight to secure a unanimous decision.
Clubmate Mike Maketu Leylander was not as successful in his points loss to Freddie King of Zero Tolerance Napier.
King showcased good speed and timing, forcing Leylander to cover up for most of the first round.
The local fighter got off the odd counter blow in round two, but King kept closing the distance and slogging away.
He caught up with Leylander to drop him with an uppercut at the start of round three, and following the eight count, Leylander fought to survive - a final rally not enough to swing the decision his way.
Results of counting fights
Gareth Wellington bt Carlos Broughton by split decision; Sabin Hayward bt Ryo Maeda with unanimous decision; Brayden Maua bt Earl Jay Pehi by split decision; Freddie King bt Mike Maketu Leylander by unanimous decision; Tyler Hedley (Thai Boxing Studio New Plymouth) bt Connor Mooney (J's Gym Zero Tolerance Palmerston North) by unanimous decision; Ata Fakalelu fought to a draw with Aiden Koroheke.