Shane Cameron
Encyclopedia
Shane "Mountain Warrior" Cameron (born 17 October 1977 in Tiniroto
, New Zealand
) is a former 2002 Commonwealth Games
bronze medal winner currently competing in the cruiserweight division. He is the current commonwealth cruiserweight champion and previously fought in the heavyweight
division, where he was a former WBA
Pan African, IBF
Pan Pacific and WBO
Asia Pacific champion.
in the semifinals of the 91 kg Commonwealth Games, winning a bronze medal.
. He defeated Shane Wijohn on 4 December 2004 in Auckland to win the New Zealand Heavyweight title, which he would later vacate in order to pursue international titles.
On 28 July 2006 in Auckland, Cameron added two more championships to his record, with a 10th-round technical knockout of Roger Izonritei. With that win, he captured the vacant WBA Pan African Heavyweight title, as well as Izonritei's International Boxing Federation
(IBF) Pan Pacific title.
In October 2006, ranked 14th worldwide by the IBF, he was for the first time ranked ahead of fellow countryman and world heavyweight title contender David Tua
. Cameron formally challenged Tua, declaring: "David Tua said on television a while back 'Shane who?' but if he looks at who is ranked, I am, he's not, so he knows who I am now: and if he gets in the ring with me, he will know."
On 3 December 2006, Cameron enjoyed his 17th consecutive victory as a professional, via a 9th round TKO
of South Africa
n Osborne Machimana in Christchurch
, thus retaining his WBA Pan African heavyweight title.
After the fight Cameron once again called for a match with Tua. However Tua's adviser Inga Tuigamala responded: "I know Shane Cameron has been banging the drum and wants to get it on with David, but from David's perspective, Shane is still on his way up the ladder and at the moment a fight between them would be of more benefit to Shane than David."
On 7 March 2007 Cameron fought Australia
n boxing veteran Bob Mirovic
in an Anthony Mundine
undercard fight at the Sydney Entertainment Centre
. Despite breaking his right hand in the first round and suffering cuts above both eyes, Cameron knocked Mirovic out in the eighth round via a left hook to the Australian's forehead to again retain his WBA Pan African title.
Once again a challenge was extended to Tua, with Cameron's camp offering the fellow Kiwi NZ$250,000 to step into the ring. After the match Cameron's New Zealand manager Ken Reinsfield stated "We'd fight Tua in a heartbeat, but you can see why Tua doesn't want to fight him."
Cameron added a third title to his collection on 28 June 2007, with a first-round TKO win over a jet-lagged Brazil
ian Jucimar Hipolito for the vacant World Boxing Organization
(WBO) Asia Pacific Heavyweight title. Jucimar was a late replacement to Kelvin Davis
who broke his back after jumping off a bridge to avoid a car in a night time training run.
On 2 November 2007, Cameron suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of Friday Ahunanya
. Cameron lost by a 12th round TKO decision after he was sent to the canvas twice after Ahunanya opened up bleeding cuts above Cameron's eyes. With this loss, Cameron surrendered all the titles he previously held. Cuts to both eyes hampered his vision (cut right eye in round 3, cut left eye in round 9) and ability to avoid punches from his opponent in the later rounds. Even heading into round 12, according to commentators, he was leading on points. Cameron's management still had high hopes for his future and stated that they would allow three months for the cuts to heal properly before his next fight.
On 11 April 2008 Cameron fought American Heavyweight Jonathan Haggler, Haggler's record being 18 wins and 2 losses. Cameron comprehensively knocked out Haggler in the eighth round. Winning the fight meant Cameron claimed the WBO Oriental, WBO Asia-Pacific and IBF Pan-Pacific belts. He bled only slightly from above his left eyebrow, which had been recently operated on.
Cameron then fought American Kevin Montiy on 28 June 2008 knocking him out in the 5th round. With that win Cameron defended his IBF Pan Pacific heavyweight title and his WBO Oriental heavyweight title. Cameron later stated "The Montiy fight was one of my best performances to date. I had my best camp, great sparring and my conditioning was great as always".
A fight between David Tua
and Shane Cameron took place in Hamilton, New Zealand
on 3 October 2009. The fight was dubbed "The Fight of The Century" and both boxers were guaranteed $500,000 in prize money with the winner expected to get a win bonus. Despite the hype, the fight was disappointingly one-sided. Tua knocked Cameron down twice in the first round, with a series of trademark left hooks. Due to an adjudicating error, Cameron was not counted out and survived to the end of the round. However, Tua exploded onto him in the first 7 seconds of the second round, backing Cameron up onto the ropes before throwing nearly 20 punches (most of which cleanly connected) to Cameron's head. As Cameron sank to the canvas, the referee stepped in to stop the fight. Losing meant Cameron surrendered his IBF Pan-Pacific, WBO Oriental and WBO Asia-Pacific belts.
Cameron defeated John Hopoate
via disqualification in Melbourne, Australia on 18 March 2010. The fight ended 43 seconds into the second round of a scheduled 10 round bout. Cameron followed up this with unanimous decision victories against Daniel Ammann & Anthony McCracken. The latter served as a final eliminator for the commonwealth cruiserweight title which Cameron fought for in his next bout against Dominic Vea. The bout took place on 20 July 2011 on the undercard of the Danny Green
vs Antonio Tarver
IBO
cruiserweight title fight, and saw Cameron become the new commonwealth champion when he knocked out Vea in round 12.
Tiniroto
Tiniroto is a small farming and forestry community on the “inland” road from Gisborne to Wairoa in the eastern part of the North Island of New Zealand...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
) is a former 2002 Commonwealth Games
Boxing at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
Final results for the men's boxing Competition at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, United Kingdom from August 4 to July 27.- Light Flyweight :- Flyweight :- Bantamweight :...
bronze medal winner currently competing in the cruiserweight division. He is the current commonwealth cruiserweight champion and previously fought in the heavyweight
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
division, where he was a former WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
Pan African, IBF
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
Pan Pacific and WBO
World Boxing Organization
The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...
Asia Pacific champion.
Amateur career
He beat Adam Forsyth for the 2001 New Zealand heavyweight crown and lost to Jason DouglasJason Douglas (boxer)
Jason Douglas is a Canadian boxer best known to win the Commonwealth title 2002 in the heavyweight 91 kg/201 lbs limit division.-Amateur:...
in the semifinals of the 91 kg Commonwealth Games, winning a bronze medal.
Professional career
Cameron made his professional debut on 28 November 2002, with a third-round knockout victory over Winston Palu in the Auckland suburb of KohimaramaKohimarama
Kohimarama is a coastal residential Auckland City suburb, located to the east of the city.Situated in Eastern Auckland and has a reputation as being relatively wealthy, with many of the homes having some of the best views over Auckland Harbour. According to the 2001 census, Kohimarama has a...
. He defeated Shane Wijohn on 4 December 2004 in Auckland to win the New Zealand Heavyweight title, which he would later vacate in order to pursue international titles.
On 28 July 2006 in Auckland, Cameron added two more championships to his record, with a 10th-round technical knockout of Roger Izonritei. With that win, he captured the vacant WBA Pan African Heavyweight title, as well as Izonritei's International Boxing Federation
International Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
(IBF) Pan Pacific title.
In October 2006, ranked 14th worldwide by the IBF, he was for the first time ranked ahead of fellow countryman and world heavyweight title contender David Tua
David Tua
David "Tuamanator" Tua is a New Zealand professional heavyweight boxer, fighting out of South Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.He is a former WBO Asia Pacific and WBO Oriental Heavyweight champion....
. Cameron formally challenged Tua, declaring: "David Tua said on television a while back 'Shane who?' but if he looks at who is ranked, I am, he's not, so he knows who I am now: and if he gets in the ring with me, he will know."
On 3 December 2006, Cameron enjoyed his 17th consecutive victory as a professional, via a 9th round TKO
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n Osborne Machimana in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, thus retaining his WBA Pan African heavyweight title.
After the fight Cameron once again called for a match with Tua. However Tua's adviser Inga Tuigamala responded: "I know Shane Cameron has been banging the drum and wants to get it on with David, but from David's perspective, Shane is still on his way up the ladder and at the moment a fight between them would be of more benefit to Shane than David."
On 7 March 2007 Cameron fought Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n boxing veteran Bob Mirovic
Bob Mirovic
Bob "The Big Bear" Mirovic is an Australian boxer. Standing at 6 ft 5 in and with a reach of 80 inches, he started boxing at the age of 22 in 1987. He has fought a number of famous fighters, including Nikolai Valuev, Joe Bugner, and Frans Botha.He currently resides in Wyongah, New South...
in an Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine is an Australian professional boxer and former rugby league footballer.He is the current interim WBA Light Middleweight Champion boxer, former two-time WBA Super Middleweight Champion, former IBO Middleweight Champion and New South Wales State of Origin representative footballer....
undercard fight at the Sydney Entertainment Centre
Sydney Entertainment Centre
The Sydney Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose venue, located in Haymarket, Sydney, Australia. It opened in May 1983, to replace Sydney Stadium, which had been demolished to make way for a new railway. The centre is currently owned by the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, which administers...
. Despite breaking his right hand in the first round and suffering cuts above both eyes, Cameron knocked Mirovic out in the eighth round via a left hook to the Australian's forehead to again retain his WBA Pan African title.
Once again a challenge was extended to Tua, with Cameron's camp offering the fellow Kiwi NZ$250,000 to step into the ring. After the match Cameron's New Zealand manager Ken Reinsfield stated "We'd fight Tua in a heartbeat, but you can see why Tua doesn't want to fight him."
Cameron added a third title to his collection on 28 June 2007, with a first-round TKO win over a jet-lagged Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian Jucimar Hipolito for the vacant World Boxing Organization
World Boxing Organization
The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...
(WBO) Asia Pacific Heavyweight title. Jucimar was a late replacement to Kelvin Davis
Kelvin Davis (boxer)
Kelvin Davis is an American boxer. He is a former IBF-champion in the Cruiserweight weight class.Known as "Concrete", Davis, a compact pressure fighter, turned pro in 1999...
who broke his back after jumping off a bridge to avoid a car in a night time training run.
On 2 November 2007, Cameron suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of Friday Ahunanya
Friday Ahunanya
Friday Chinedu Ahunanya, born Friday November 19, 1971 in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, is a professional boxer. He is a journeyman heavyweight best known to beat several undefeated prospects and for his appearances on ESPN fight cards....
. Cameron lost by a 12th round TKO decision after he was sent to the canvas twice after Ahunanya opened up bleeding cuts above Cameron's eyes. With this loss, Cameron surrendered all the titles he previously held. Cuts to both eyes hampered his vision (cut right eye in round 3, cut left eye in round 9) and ability to avoid punches from his opponent in the later rounds. Even heading into round 12, according to commentators, he was leading on points. Cameron's management still had high hopes for his future and stated that they would allow three months for the cuts to heal properly before his next fight.
On 11 April 2008 Cameron fought American Heavyweight Jonathan Haggler, Haggler's record being 18 wins and 2 losses. Cameron comprehensively knocked out Haggler in the eighth round. Winning the fight meant Cameron claimed the WBO Oriental, WBO Asia-Pacific and IBF Pan-Pacific belts. He bled only slightly from above his left eyebrow, which had been recently operated on.
Cameron then fought American Kevin Montiy on 28 June 2008 knocking him out in the 5th round. With that win Cameron defended his IBF Pan Pacific heavyweight title and his WBO Oriental heavyweight title. Cameron later stated "The Montiy fight was one of my best performances to date. I had my best camp, great sparring and my conditioning was great as always".
A fight between David Tua
David Tua
David "Tuamanator" Tua is a New Zealand professional heavyweight boxer, fighting out of South Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.He is a former WBO Asia Pacific and WBO Oriental Heavyweight champion....
and Shane Cameron took place in Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
on 3 October 2009. The fight was dubbed "The Fight of The Century" and both boxers were guaranteed $500,000 in prize money with the winner expected to get a win bonus. Despite the hype, the fight was disappointingly one-sided. Tua knocked Cameron down twice in the first round, with a series of trademark left hooks. Due to an adjudicating error, Cameron was not counted out and survived to the end of the round. However, Tua exploded onto him in the first 7 seconds of the second round, backing Cameron up onto the ropes before throwing nearly 20 punches (most of which cleanly connected) to Cameron's head. As Cameron sank to the canvas, the referee stepped in to stop the fight. Losing meant Cameron surrendered his IBF Pan-Pacific, WBO Oriental and WBO Asia-Pacific belts.
Cameron defeated John Hopoate
John Hopoate
John Hopoate is a former professional rugby league footballer and boxer. He played club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers and Northern Eagles in the National Rugby League competition. Hopoate also gained selection for Tonga, in the Australian national team and in the New...
via disqualification in Melbourne, Australia on 18 March 2010. The fight ended 43 seconds into the second round of a scheduled 10 round bout. Cameron followed up this with unanimous decision victories against Daniel Ammann & Anthony McCracken. The latter served as a final eliminator for the commonwealth cruiserweight title which Cameron fought for in his next bout against Dominic Vea. The bout took place on 20 July 2011 on the undercard of the Danny Green
Danny Green
Daniel "Danny" Green is an Australian professional boxer and the former IBO cruiserweight champion.- Amateur boxing career and the Olympics :...
vs Antonio Tarver
Antonio Tarver
Antonio Deon Tarver , nicknamed the "Magic Man", is a professional boxer from Orlando, Florida and the former WBC, WBA, IBF, & The Ring light heavyweight champion....
IBO
International Boxing Organization
The International Boxing Organization is a for-profit organization that sanctions professional boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championships.- Origins :...
cruiserweight title fight, and saw Cameron become the new commonwealth champion when he knocked out Vea in round 12.