Powdrill ensures no fairytale finish for Letizia

David Letizia had the satisfaction of going the distance in his farewell fight at the WA Italian Club last night.

But there was to be no fairytale finish for the retiring 44-year-old, with Muay Thai star-turned-boxer Rob Powdrill deservedly taking a wide unanimous points victory.

Letizia said before the fight he would simply be happy to go the full 12 rounds, but for a brief moment it looked a whole lot better when he put Powdrill on his backside with a well-timed right.

However that was as good as it got for the gutsy "Iceman", who was largely picked off by 30-year-old Powdrill for the remainder of the night.

Letizia was temporarily hampered early on when he appeared to roll his right ankle, but as the fight wore on it was the years taking their toll more than any injury.

It was an emotional night all round for the two old rivals - Letizia won a four rounder over Powdrill in 2009 - and the pair embraced before, after and even during the 12-round IBO Asia-Pacific cruiserweweight title fight.

Powdrill also went into the fight just days after losing his father, and while he revealed the pair were not close he still entered the ring wearing a strip of black tape around his left bicep.

Of the first-round knockdown, Powdrill said: "He clipped me with a decent shot and I just had my mouth open. The same thing happened against Ricardo (Monteleone). Maybe I need someone to give me a decent shot before I go out there.

"After that I made sure I didn't rush in. He has got a lot of experience and I'm still learning. I also had to pace myself going 12 rounds but I just made sure I stayed focused."

Indeed for all of Powdrill's Thai boxing successes, this was only his sixth boxing bout. Which is why he and trainer Bill Seth are determined not to get carried away by the hype of Powdrill's stunning 21-second KO of Olympian Damien Hooper in Brisbane last November.

"I want us to do it properly and for Rob to take his time," he said.

Seth said Powdrill would immediately vacate the belt and drop down to light-heavyweight. He said they were also looking at a Sky TV fight against Kiwi Sam Rapira in New Zealand on April 14.

Letizia, who is half of the CDL Boxing team that put on last night's show, said he was happy to go out on his shield but was under no illusions about putting Letizia over so quickly.

"It was a good right hand but I'd have bet a million dollars that he'd get up," he said.

Get up he did and Powdrill was awarded the decision 117-110, 118-110, 119-110 by the judges.

Earlier, featherweight Nathaniel May gave a demonstration of his increasing power with a first round TKO of Anshori Pitulay.

May complained of the Indonesian's use of the head before blasting him over three times in quick succession to force the stoppage.

May will now headline a show in his home town Bunbury on March 7.

Balcatta middleweight Wes Capper, who is heading back to the US next week, enjoyed a straightforward night against late substitute Aswin Cabuy.

Capper, whose ring entrance is almost as entertaining as his fights, floored Cabuy twice in the first. Then a wicked left hook to the body 70 seconds into the second proved too much for the Indonesian who indicated he'd had enough.

Chief support for the night was a WBC women's minimumweight title eliminator, with WA's Louisa Hawton defeating Angor Onesongchaigym.

After an even start Hawton was beginning to get on top with some decent work inside but that doesn't explain the unsatisfactory finish, with the Thai fighter quitting on her stool at the end of the fourth.

Results

Rob Powdrill UD David Letizia

Louisa Hawton TKO 4 Angor Onesongchaigym

Nathaniel May KO 1 Anshori Anhar Pitulay

Jamie Weetch TKO 4 Ben Kuhanez

Wes Capper KO 2 Aswin Cabuy

Daniel McGlashan UD 4 Kurtis Pegoraro

Liam Vernon UD 4 Dean Purdon