Boxing: Masoe to defend title after warning

By PETER JESSUP

David Tua's former offsider Maselino Masoe is a late addition to the pro-bout card at Alexandra Park tomorrow, after the Pan Asian Boxing Association in Seoul told him to defend his middleweight title or risk relinquishing it.

He will fight Fijian No 2 Stefano Vasuibau.

The 34-year-old American Samoan, an Auckland resident, has 19 wins (18 by knockout) and two losses. Vasuibau, 29, has 23 wins (19 by knockout) and three losses, all in Australia.

Masoe picked up the vacant Pan Asian title in December, when he beat Peter Moko Moko.

The association has just advised him that all new holders of previously vacant titles must defend them within 30 days.

The Fijian champion at middleweight is 39-year-old Ileatia Vaka, who has not fought for two years and has held the title only by virtue of political chaos in Fiji.

The association refuses to sanction bouts with fighters aged over 36, so Masoe went for the fight with Vasuibau, ranked No 5 in the region by the association.

Masoe is not shy of the fight and still rates himself a chance of another shot at a major title. He has been in work and is well prepared for the 12-rounder.

New Zealand lightweight champion Santos Pakau has his first international contest against Victorian state champion Darren Miller.

He is looking for hard work in the eight-rounder because he plans a campaign overseas. Pakau, still only 18, has had 20 wins and no losses, and is without serious opposition in the division here.

If he beats the 27-year-old Australian, he will probably fight again in two weeks as he prepares to fight in Australia and beyond.

Rico Chong Nee, of Auckland, meets Hemi Niha, of Tauranga, in a six-round light-middleweight contest. Two other pro-bouts and six amateur fights are on the card, which starts at 3 pm.