Boxing: Hopoate's career knocked on its backside

John Hopoate's career took a major blow when he was knocked out by Colin Wilson (R) last night. Photo / Getty Images

Former NRL bad boy John Hopoate's professional boxing career was sat firmly on its backside when he was knocked out by 37-year-old Australian journeyman Colin Wilson in the main undercard bout at the Tua-Cameron fight last night.

Hopoate, easily the stronger puncher and with an eye on grander things than this, was surprised by a meaty Wilson left which dropped him at the end of the third round - after he looked to have the fight under control having decked his opponent.

Looking a bit porky and in need of a training fight, Hopoate didn't storm Wilson's defences until the third round before the favour was returned.

Hopoate, infamous for leaving the NRL in disgrace after slipping a finger into highly personal parts of the anatomy of NRL opponents, looked as though he wanted ring time. But it all went wrong in the third and he looked unsteady on his feet. Wilson, though 1.95m and awkward to fight, is the embodiment of a journeyman - he was one of Shane Cameron's victims and has won 34 fights but lost 25 (and drew one). Hopoate, whose career suffered from a significant hiccup when he lost to former US champion Oliver McCall, was never remotely figured to be close to losing this one.

"I reckon it is [the end of Hopoate's pro career]," said Wilson, who underlined his veteran status by turning up to talk to the media wearing his glasses. "He's still a very dangerous man, you can't take that away from him, but they might knock him back to rugby league now. At least I kept my bum intact."

Meanwhile, it wouldn't be boxing without an 'I was robbed' claim from an unhappy fighter - this one from American-based cruiserweight Max Alexander who was still throwing verbal punches over what he claimed was a hometown decision in favour of New Zealand-based Ghanaian fighter Mensah Moyoyo.

Moyoyo won a unanimous points decision against Alexander - a well-performed fighter who starred in a recent series of TV's The Contender and who is a WBC candidate for a title shot. Alexander had the moves and the technique and was particularly adept at slipping the occasionally wild punches from Moyoyo.

The Ghanaian - a former Commonwealth Games medallist and sparring partner for Cameron and formerly for promising UK heavyweight contender David Haye - pressed forward all fight.

But Alexander, 28, teed off afterwards: "Yes, I hit him plenty," he said when asked if he had managed to hit Moyoyo enough to win. "Every time I made him miss I came up with a shot. You know, this is professional boxing, not Gladiators.

"He said before the fight he was going to put me to sleep. He nearly did but only because he never hit me. I wasn't going to back him up. That's not my fight. That's his fight and I was just playing off of that - but the judges probably had their minds on something else."

Earlier, New Zealand light middleweight champion Steve Heremaia won a unanimous points decision over a dogged Frank Lo Porto, of Australia. Lo Porto was much the taller and heavier and pressed forward in their six-rounder. But Heremaia's crisp right hand sank him to one knee in the first round, followed by a knockdown.

The bell saved Lo Porto. While Heremaia was throwing the stronger punches early, Lo Porto evened the fight up in the fourth and fifth. In the sixth, however, a late flurry from Heremaia swung the fight.

A happy Heremaia said he had been a little worried by Lo Porto's comeback but wasn't bothered by his opponent's size and reach advantage.

"Everyone I fight is bigger than me," he said. "I just did what my cornermen told me, dug deep and used my heart."

In other fights, Australia's cruiserweight Daniel Amman scored a comfortable points victory over Australian-based Samoan Lawrence Tuasa. Meanwhile, light heavyweight, kick-boxing and Muay Thai exponent Shane Chapman kept Soulan Pownceby's undefeated record as a professional intact.

A clash of heads left Chapman with a cut eye - and an automatic draw.