Wonderful Wallace waltzes into 2024 on back of another KO win
Conor Wallace closed the show in terms of Irish boxing for 2023 by putting on a show in Australia today.
The Newry native brought the curtain down on a very successful year for both him and Irish boxing with another eye-catching win on top of a DAZN broadcast card in Fortitude Music Hall.
Wallace looked more than at home as a headliner and cemented his reputation as Australia’s number one light heavyweight with a stoppage win over the teak-tough Mose Auimatagi.
The world-ranked WBC, IBF and WBA regional title holder dropped the New Zealander in the second and eventually forced the referee to step in and end the fight in the sixth.
Auimatagi did ask questions and on more than one occasion afforded the 27-year-old the chance to prove he has a chin but Wallace showed real maturity, adapted his game and made it three big stoppage wins in a row.
Clinical. Dominant. Effective.
— Aus-Boxing.com (@ausboxing) December 20, 2023
Conor Wallace becomes just the second fighter to halt Mose Auimatagi Jr, as referee Phillip Holiday calls the fight in the sixth round.#ozboxing #boxing pic.twitter.com/TcSgqkIi9u
The Australian-based Irish fighter now moves into 2024 well placed to explore bigger options.
The clash of styles was obvious from the off, with Auimatagi looking to march forward to get in range to fire bombs, while Wallace peppered from a safe range and the southpaw stance.
It was calm and patient from the Newry native for the most part, although he did flirt with a more aggressive approach when he landed to clean left hands in the final 30 seconds of the fight.
A hurtful left hand started to land with more regularity in the second and resulted in Auimatagi hitting the canvas. However, just when it looked like another early stoppage was on the cards the Fight Before Christmas caught fire. Fighting for his life the New Zealander landed a big right hand as the Irish fighter came in for the finish and an entertaining round followed.
Auimatagi, who had former Wallace foe Leti Leti in his corner, dragged Wallace into a brawl in the first half of the third but Wallace began to dominate when he returned to the game plan.
Another straight one-two rocked Auimatagi in the last few second, but again he proved he was as tough as his ‘Iron’ ring monkier suggests, responding with some big shots of his own.
The Newry native avoided all invitations to throw down in the next session, putting on a hit and not get hit class.
It was all off the jab early in the next, although he did have to ship two right hands before looking to move through the gears in the final minute.
The Steve Deller mentored fighter really began to get on top in the sixth and was peppering his opponent from a safe distance, prompting the referee to step in.
The stoppage did look premature, not that the large Irish contingent minded.
