Kali Meehan

Kalivath Gerald Meehan (born 1970-03-09 in Fiji) is a New Zealand boxer, turned pro after a career in rugby.

Amateur career

Meehan had an Amateur Record of 23-5.

Professional career

Nicknamed "Checkmate", Meehan's memorable appearances include a contested loss in the WBO heavyweight title boot to Lamon Brewster, KO loss to Hasim Rahman, and a first-round TKO loss to Danny Williams in another title bout for British Commonwealth crown.

He had been the Australian heavyweight champion with multiple successful defenses until 2000 when he vacated the title.

Most recently in October 2007, Meehan upset contender DaVarryl Williamson, knocking him down and winning via a TKO in the 6th round. (Credit: Wikipedia)

Websites

Kali Meehan on YouTube

Don King Promotions

Supporters include

Unseen TV

Profiles

Boxing

Articles

Meehan loses fight but wins over Vegas - 6th September 2004
(Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)

Promoter Don King has promised to give Kali Meehan another heavyweight world title shot after the Australian-based underdog lost a controversial split points decision on Saturday night.

Boos filled the Mandalay Bay casino's 12,000-seat arena after it was announced America's Lamon Brewster had retained his World Boxing Organisation heavyweight title by the slimmest margin.

If one of the judges, Dave Moretti, had given the final round to Meehan, the former bouncer and council garbage worker from New Zealand would have created boxing history and caused one of the biggest upsets in the sport.

In the eighth round, Brewster, clinging to the ropes, was lucky to survive after Meehan battered him with almost 30 successive powerful right hands.

"I'm going to bring Kali back," King, who promotes Meehan and Brewster, said. "A little bit more experience and he would have been a world champion."

King, who also promotes World Boxing Association champion John Ruiz and International Boxing Federation champion Chris Byrd, virtually controls the heavyweight division and has earmarked Meehan for another big-money bout in the US later this year.

"I'm going to have a heavyweight show in November or December, and Kali can certainly play a major part in that," King said. "He can fight anyone now. His amateur standing is gone. He has an opportunity now, everyone now knows who he is and I'm going to try and do something for him. I like him a lot."

That praise was music to Meehan's ears.

"I'm keen to fight again in America," said Meehan, who wore a pair of Parramatta Eels socks into the ring in gratitude to the league club for helping him prepare for the bout.

"I think I've proven I can fight at this level. My aim was to win the fight and win over the boxing public and win some American fans. I didn't win the fight, but I think I won some fans."

The 34-year-old battler did win the hearts of the American boxing community with his gutsy effort. As Meehan walked into the post-fight press conference with a bag of ice wrapped around his swollen right hand, American reporters, who had given him no chance, applauded.

Las Vegas bookmakers had also written Meehan off, making him a 4-1 outsider, while Brewster was regarded as unbeatable, being at 5-1 on.

King and Brewster both showered praise on the journeyman, who moved from New Zealand six years ago and is based in Wyong. "Kali Meehan brings heart and skills to the table," Brewster said. "Everybody was saying this man was an underdog, but I knew this guy was smart, had quick reflexes and could punch."

Meehan refused to be bitter about his controversial loss and declined to criticise the judges. "I'm not a bitter man," he said. "That's not what I'm about."

Meehan regularly beat Brewster to the punch and battered him with his jab, and blood streamed from the American's nose as early as the second round.

Moretti gave Brewster three of the final four rounds and another judge, Nelson Vasquez, gave Brewster the final four rounds - just enough for Brewster to keep his WBO belt.

The final result was Moretti (114-113) and Vasquez (115-113) in favour of Brewster, while Adalaide Byrd gave the fight to Meehan (114-113).

In Essen, Germany, Australia's world-ranked super-middleweight Nader Hamdan suffered only his second loss in 38 professional fights.

He was stopped in the 12th and final round by unbeaten Armenian Arthur Abraham in their contest for the vacant WBA middleweight title.

AAP

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