Duiven plots Rebel’s downfall
The 21 year old Dutchman could be the typical comic-book hero — 6’3” tall, 115 kgs of solid muscle and a stunning head of blond hair, and the story of his career to date is sensational if not inspirational.
Following in the footsteps of his father, Harry Duiven Snr, who fought bare-knuckled in the gypsy boxing rings around England, he knows no other life outside of boxing.
He took up kick-boxing at the age of nine and was the K1 Fight world champion at age 18. Apart from K1 he has distinguished records in Muay Thai and Cage Fight.
Two years ago, as a 19-year-old, he added professional boxing to his skills and has since won 14 of his 19 contests to date — 12 of them by KO.
In June last year he went close to ending the unbeaten record of another former Cuban star — Olympic and three-time world champion, Odlanier Solis, in Hassen, Germany.
“It was a very bad decision,” his father and trainer said. “In Berlin they have a lot of Cuban boxers based in ‘Little Cuba’ where they train together at a camp.
“And, unfortunately, when a boxer is on contract in Germany he just does not lose a fight. That is how it is and that is how it was.”
Harry Senior is happy that his son has followed in his footsteps and that he mixes the various disciplines.
“It is a great life,” he said. “But it is all about making money at the end of the day and it pays to be involved in the other disciplines. You are a professional boxer, you have four fights a year and you get €2,000 for each fight. You don’t make a lot of money from that. (Only) the top 50 in the world make a lot of money.”
Promoter Gary Hyde admitted that this was a step up in class for his Cuban southpaw.
“Obviously I am going to say Mike will win because I have not seen any heavyweight around who can master him,” he said.
“He is quick and he has a devastating punch. But, having said that, I would like to think Harry (Duiven) will take him a few rounds but then I have been wrong in the past.”
However, Hyde’s Cuban super middleweight, Louis Garcia, takes a huge jump in class for what will be only his second fight as a professional.
He meets a tough Latvian, Mantas Tarydas, who has been punching to his weight near the top of the rankings in recent times. He has 15 wins from 20 fights and 11 of those came by way of knock-out.
Martins Kukuls will be back in Cork tonight to meet Limerick man Jamie Power. Kukuls has also boxed the likes of Jason McKay, who fought Andy Lee for the Irish super middleweight title, and Ciaran Healy, another of Lee’s victims.
There are still a limited number of tables available for the show and details can be had from Gary Hyde on (087) 2424898.
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