Week-end pascal inoubliable pour deux boxeurs mauriciens en Angleterre. Judex Meemea et Vinesh Rungea ont obtenu leur première victoire en professionnel à Londres.

Spécialiste de matches nuls (3 nuls et une défaite avant son combat de samedi), Judex Meemea ne partait pas favori face à l?Anglais Ashley Theophane. Pour cause, ce dernier était invaincu en sept combats et fait déjà figure de vedette dans la Blonde Albion. ?Treasure? Theophane a remporté deux victoires par K.-O. et a même un site web qui vante ses exploits professionnels.

Tout cela était loin d?impressionner le boxeur de l?entraîneur mauricien Jerry Mortimerdo. Même s?il lui restait à inscrire une première victoire en pro, Judex Meemea était confiant en la victoire.

Le combat, très serré, est allé au terme des six rounds de trois minutes. Le Mauricien l?a emporté par 58-57. Cette performance a valu à Meemea des éloges des journaux locaux. Le correspondant de ?British Boxing?, Kevin Taylor, attribue la victoire du Mauricien à une bonne défense (voir plus loin).

Par ailleurs, Vinesh Rungea a connu des débuts professionnels tranquilles en disposant de Lee Whyatt par 40 points à 37. Le Mauricien a, surtout, fait parler ses directs du gauche pour forcer la différence.

Ci-dessous un extrait du texte de British Boxing sur les deux boxeurs mauriciens.

VIEW FROM ENGLAND

Mauritians shine

According to my records there have been five professionals who were born in Mauritius, one being the ?Punching Postman? Bernie Paul, and another from the early seventies with the interesting name of ?Killer Patrick?, but now we have three young lads, managed by Chris Sanigar, from the island in the Indian Ocean, who are carving out a name for themselves in the professional ring having reached London via Bristol. Two of them appeared here last night, with the third Riaz Durgahed (2-2-0) cheering on from the crowd.

First up and making his pro debut was Vineash Rungea who was up against Morden?s Lee Wyatt, who had lost on his first appearance in the pro ring against Henry Janes back in February 2004 and had recently been sparring with Kevin Mitchell. Wyatt had a good support and they were not impressed with Rungea?s dancing ring entrance. Rungea looks like he will entertain and upset many fans around the country with his showboating, arms down style.

Rungea in between the showboating caught Wyatt with a peach of a left hook in the first stanza which had Wyatt staggering around the ring and Rungea going into dancing mode as he displayed a great defence, bobbing and weaving to avoid Wyatt?s punches. Displaying quick hands as well as the quick dancing feet, Rungea picked off Wyatt with some crisp punches as Wyatt had trouble landing any leather on the Mauritian.

Wyatt started the second quickly, but Rungea was soon back on top with a couple of crisp straight lefts landing before another hook crashed into Wyatt, who proved he had a strong chin. Boxing off the back foot and on the counter Rungea caught Wyatt at ease and Wyatt?s face soon started to mark up and a cut opened under his left eye.

The third saw more of the same as Wyatt tried to attack but Rungea?s defensive skills made him hard to hit, an uppercut did catch Rungea but had no effect on him as he countered with a couple of straight lefts and another hook, before Wyatt managed to get through with a combination in the corner. A left uppercut caught Wyatt, before he was made to look silly by Rungea as his defensive skills saw Wyatt missing with a wild swing.

The last saw Rungea begin to tire, but he was still nimble enough to catch Wyatt with plenty of straight rights and lefts as Wyatt?s supporters tried to bring out the best in him to no avail. Wyatt went down from a slip before being caught again with a couple of neat straight lefts from the Mauritian as he chalked up a debut win. Referee Bob Williams scored it 40-37.

Fellow Mauritian Judex Meemea who came to the ring as the ?draw? specialist having drawn three of his four previous fights, was up against the much tattooed unbeaten Ashley Theophane from Kilburn over six three minute rounds, but overcame him in a thrilling fight to notch up his first win and inflict the first defeat on Theophane?s ledger. Theophane sponsored appropriately by ?Rock-it tattoos?, landed the better punches but was outworked by the taller Meemea who looked good behind his sharp jab, but time and time again was dragged into the fight by Theophane.

Theophane looked the classier boxer of the two, but just couldn?t shake off Meemea, and everytime they went toe-to-toe Meemea gave as good as he got. Meemea looked more controlled boxing behind the jab, but Theophane with his attacking style just didn?t let him settle and kept moving forward to draw Meemea into the fight, I had Meemea winning 58-56 on my card, but referee Curtis had just one round between them scoring 58-57 in Meemea?s favour much to the delight of the Mauritian contingent and Meemea himself.

Kevin Taylor <I>British Boxing</I>