Sunday, December 16, 2001
Austin successfully defends title
Scores unanimous decision over challenger Vorapin
By Tim Sullivan
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASHANTUCKET, Conn. — Tim Austin was careless, but in a good way. He was tested, but found fit. He was forced to go the distance to defend his bantamweight boxing title Saturday night, but the decision was unanimous and the reaction was rapture.
“It was great,” Cincinnati's 118-pound world champion said after his 12-round victory over Ratanachai Vorapin. “I always wanted to go out on a big card and show what I could do. I got a little careless because I was feeling so confident.”
Austin, 30, said his eighth International Boxing Federation title defense was his toughest, and it was certainly one of the few that have carried any suspense. Staged as the prelude to the Evander Holyfield-John Ruiz WBA heavyweight championship at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino, and fought in the presence of that other Cincinnati Kid, Pete Rose.
The HBO bout afforded Austin the kind of showcase he has usually lacked during a professional career of sustained brilliance.
That he failed to finish Vorapin, though Compubox credited him with more than twice as many punches landed (226-106) was seen as proof of his staying power.
“Tim has to have confidence that he can work, he can punch and doesn't have to worry about running out of gas,” said trainer Aaron Snowell. “Somewhere in a big fight you're going to have to take a big shot. He took it and as the fight went on, he got better.”
It marked only the second time in six years that Austin had been forced to go the distance and it was the first time he had found a fellow left-hander so confounding since he fought as an amateur.
Though the judges gave Vorapin only one round unanimously (No.3), the IBF's No.4 contender scored several significant hits.
Still, the only time Austin hit the canvas was ruled a slip. The three judges scored the fight 115-112; 118-109 and 117-110.
Austin's undefeated record improved to 24-0-1. His knockout total remained at 21. He has held the IBF title nearly 53 months now, and continues to be able to make weight without drastic diets. He has dominated the bantamweight division for so long that it now seems as likely that he will move up in weight as arrange a unification bout he has sought.
“He wants the WBA and WBC champions,” Snowell said. “He'll go up to 122 pounds.”
Whether Austin can land a higher-profile fight is unclear. Bob Goodman, vice president and matchmaker for Don King Productions, called Austin “one of the top five fighters in the world, pound-for pound,” but was unable to forecast his next move.
“He just needs that one big fight to show us how great he is,” Goodman said.
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Austin successfully defends title
