- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Australian boxer Daniel Geale has vowed to deliver his payback for the disrespect from challenger Osumanu Adama’s camp when the pair battle for the IBF middleweight world title on a historic night in Hobart on Wednesday.
Quietly-spoken Geale has been on the receiving end of plenty of bluster from the American-based Ghanaian team in the lead-up to the bout, part of a massive double-header with fellow Australian and IBF featherweight world champ Billy Dib’s defence.
Adama has called the 31-year-old a “ballet dancer” and, on Tuesday, claimed he’d never watched footage of Geale’s fights because he didn’t need to.
His outspoken trainer Joseph Awionga raised another red rag to Geale by prematurely offering a rematch.
“It is disrespectful,” Geale admitted. “But I’ve got my time to show that and the time to show that is in the ring.
“I’ll get it back when it counts.”
Geale (26-1, 15 KOs), ranked No.4 in the world, said the talk would amount to little for No.10 Adama (20-2, 15KOs) when the Tasmanian fighter looked to defend his title for a second time at home.
“They’re talking their talk and they feel they can back it up when the time comes,” Geale said.
“But we’re really happy. We don’t have to worry about all the little things that everybody says. I just have to worry about myself and getting the job done when I need to.”
Geale representative and American boxing powerbroker Gary Shaw said the Adama camp’s behaviour, which also included a dubious Awionga verbal stoush with promoter Gary Francisco at Tuesday’s weigh-in, was a sign of nerves from the challenger’s camp.
“That nervous energy is coming out by (Awionga) mouthing off, but we’re relaxed,” Shaw said.
“I’ve been in this rodeo before. I’ve ridden this horse before.
“It won’t be a competitive fight in my mind.”
Geale, who weighed in at 73kg to his challenger’s 72.45, will face a fighter with greater height and reach than his last opponent, Nigerian Eromosele Albert, but the Australian said he was ready.
“I prepare to fight any style of fighter, any height, size, anything like that and most of my sparring partners have been taller than me as well,” Geale said.
“I’ve been sparring with heavier and stronger guys. We’ve prepared exactly as we should have.”
Adama’s record of 15 knockouts also meant little, said Shaw.
“You have to look at the record and see who he knocked out,” Shaw said.
“I’m a big fat guy but there are guys I could knock out – they may be eight years old and 20 pounds, or 10 kilos, whatever. So knockouts don’t impress me.”
Geale and Dib’s dual IBF title defences at the Derwent Entertainment Centre arguably represent the biggest boxing show seen in Australia.
Dib (33-1, 30KOs) takes on Mexican challenger Eduardo Escobedo (32-3, 23 KOs), that pair also delivering plenty of barbs in the lead-up.
“The minute that he saw the size difference between us, he quickly turned into a mouse,” Dib said.
“The lion went to a cat.”
It could be the last fight at home for both Australians as they eye the big purses on offer in the US and Europe.
“It puts us right out there on the world stage. It stamps our foot down on the world stage,” Geale said.
“All we’ve got to do is win on Wednesday night.”
Let’s get ready to rumble! Pick a fighter and place your bets with PlayUp for great odds. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.