SYDNEY, Australia, 6 May 2004 — Manny Siaca of Puerto Rico won the World Boxing Association super middleweight title when he beat champion Anthony Mundine of Australia in a 12-round split points decision yesterday.
Siaca, 28, sent Mundine to the canvas twice — at the end of the second round and again in the sixth, to win his 18th professional fight — 16 by knockout — along with four losses.
Japanese judge Takeshi Shimikawa scored the fight 114-113 in Mundine’s favor, while Sweden’s Mikael Hook and South Korea’s Shim Wang-sup both had the challenger winning 115-113.
It was the second defense of Mundine’s title. The Australian fighter’s last bout was on Jan. 19 when he recovered from a knockdown — also in the second round — to stop Japan’s Yoshinori Nishizawa in the fifth round at Wollongong, Australia.
Former professional rugby league player Mundine won the vacant WBA crown with a unanimous decision over Antwun Echols of the United States last September.
Mundine now has a record of 20-2 with 15 knockouts.
Siaca, who entered the ring wearing an Australian Wallabies rugby union jumper, weighed in at 75.9 kilograms (166.98 pounds) while Mundine was at 75.8 kilograms (166.65 pounds). Siaca is the first Puerto Rican to win a title at super middleweight.
Mundine declined to attend the post-fight press conference. However, his father and trainer Tony said Anthony would remain in boxing and seek a rematch with Siaca.
Before the fight, Mundine was advised against taking a painkiller due to an ankle injury sustained in training last week, and Siaca was angered by an enforced late change of referee.
Mundine visited doctor Martin Raftery mid-afternoon for a final check on his sprained right ankle ligaments.
