Three wins from three for Kevin Barry-managed boxers in Mississippi at the weekend have raised spirits in David Tua's Las Vegas camp.
Maselino "the High Chief" Masoe scored a second-round knockout of Sam "the Punching Policeman" Hill with a style that will win him a shot at the world featherweight title.
Auckland-based
Masoe, aged 34, gave away height to Hill, aged 31, whose record was 13-1 with seven knockouts.
Masoe whacked Hill with a right to the chin 30 seconds into the second round and the policeman was out on his feet.
Barry is aiming to get Masoe a fight for the North American Boxing Federation belt on December 10 to push a career short on years.
Masoe is now 18-1, with 16 ko's. The one loss came when he was stopped by a cut after a head clash.
On the same card at the Star Casino, Robbie Peden went a hard 12 rounds with Mexican Edgar Barcenas to win a unanimous points decision. Barcenas was ranked No 4 in the world by the WBC so Peden, too, will be looking for a move up.
Jeremiah Johnson did not foresee a four-round points loss to Aucklander Faii Falemoe, with the Samoan fighting with a bruised hand that had restricted his training.
Tua, meanwhile, resumes sparring at Prince Range outside Las Vegas today with Lee Alhassan and James Gaines, both Lewis' size. ,
Barry expects he will do another 40 rounds in the ring, to make 100 in all, before tapering off the hard slog in the last days before his November 11 (US time) fight against Lennox Lewis.
