Alex Leapai’s comeback from his world heavyweight boxing title defeat by Wladimir Klitschko ended in disappointment Friday night as he was outpointed by American Malik Scott over ten rounds.
Leapai (now 30-6-3), six months on from his fifth-round stoppage loss to the world champion, was outclassed throughout with the visitor earning a unanimous decision; 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 on the three scorecards.
By winning this crossroads fight, Scott, coming off two defeats in his previous three fights, can now look forward to big paydays against some of the biggest names in the division, while Leapai’s dream of fighting at the top level again seem over.
The 185cm Leapai said he would take his time to make a decision on his future, discussing the subject with manager and trainer Noel Thornberry and his family, but his tone suggested a man at the end of his career.
“I didn’t want to come back and just fight anyone, I wanted to fight the best fighter out there,” Leapai said.
<!-- 336x280 (bottom-article) -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-2469982834957525"
data-ad-slot="1033882026"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>{/googleAds}
“All credit to Malik Scott.
“It’s really hard when you lose two fights straight. We’re going to sit down and see what the plan is.”
Early in the fight, the American kept on the move, wary of Leapai’s power, holding in close and flicking out punches on the run. By the third round, Scott was comfortable standing in range and firing combinations at his opponent who, never the most elusive fighter, seemed hampered by a calf injury which delayed the fight for a week and presented an easy target walking forward in straight lines.
The Samoan gamely kept walking forward and swinging his trademark hooks and uppercuts that brought him 24 knockouts in his career, but the classy Scott - a former Junior Olympic champion - proved an elusive target.
By the fifth round, Leapai’s right eye began to close from Scott’s persistent jab and for the first of two occasions, his mouthguard fell out, a sign of a tired fighter.
In the sixth, his mouth began to bleed and as he took increasing punishment a stoppage looked likely.
That the 35-year-old home fighter lasted the distance after tasting so much leather against a fighter with 34 knockouts on his resume was to his credit.
Leapai even gave his passionate supporters cause to cheer in the closing stages as he forced the American backwards while swinging wildly, looking for the elusive haymaker, and he was given the round by two of the judges.
Ultimately his efforts were in vain and it may be time for the truck driver to call an end to a career that, against the odds, had him fighting for the biggest prize in the sport
{googleAds}<script async src="http://www.samoaobserver.ws///pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
<!-- ads-articles(24.03.14) -->
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
style="display:inline-block;width:336px;height:280px"
data-ad-client="ca-pub-9419815128221199"
data-ad-slot="2395638412"></ins>
<script>
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>{/googleAds}