Nurhuda's fails to grab Vuyani Bungu's belt

Nurhuda's fails to grab Vuyani Bungu's belt

JAKARTA (JP): This year's Idul Fitri was perhaps the most
dismal ever for Indonesia's junior featherweight Mohammad
Nurhuda.

While his family celebrated the end of the Ramadhan fasting
month at home, Nurhuda, out in Africa, not only broke into a
sweat, but had his heart broken in the bargain. Despite his all-
out efforts, South Africa's Vuyani "The Beast" Bungu, whose crown
he craved so much, outpunched him to earn a unanimous points
victory.

"It will be a very special bout for me, and I'm seeking a
victory to add to the Idul Fitri celebration," Nurhuda told
reporters before leaving for Pretoria's Caraosel Casino Hotel,
where he would receive the highest remuneration of his career at
Rp 85 million (US$38,500) for the 12-round match.

Nurhuda's toughness took him through the 12 agonizing rounds,
but meant little as two of the International Boxing Federation
(IBF) judges scored the match 119-109 and the third scored it
118-110 for Bungu.

The holder of the IBF world junior-featherweight title was
described by AFP as speedier, more versatile and more powerful,
though he failed to knock out Nurhuda.

Nurhuda's pluckiness and resilience proved insufficient
against the South African's straight punching, which was more
efficient than the East Javanese fighter's approach.

Nurhuda, who went to Mecca on the haj pilgrimage several years
ago, faced trouble at the end of the fourth and ninth rounds due
to Bungu's high-speed left jabs and hooks to the head.

"He was a tough guy. I tried to knock him out, but he was
always there," said Bungu in tribute of Nurhuda at the end of the
entertaining bout.

For Bungu, this was his second bout in defense of the title
which he won from American Kennedy McKinney last year.

Late last year, Bungu successfully defended his title for the
first time against Puerto Rican Felix Camacho.

Bungu's promoters were quoted by AFP as saying in pre-fight
interviews that a win over Nurhuda could lead to a unification
bout with World Boxing Association (WBA) titleholder Wilfredo
Vasquez of Puerto Rico.

Bungu now has 26 wins and two losses, while Nurhuda has been
beaten four times in 35 outings.

Had Nurhuda won, he would have been the third Indonesian to
wrest a world boxing crown after three-time junior bantamweight
champion Ellyas Pical and brief mini flyweight title holder Nico
Thomas. (arf)