Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Green beats Cameron with broken ribs

Updated at 11:47 am on 22 November 2012

The Australian boxer Danny Green won a unanimous points decision in Wednesday night's IBO world cruiserweight title fight against New Zealand's Shane Cameron, revealing after the bout in Melbourne that he was forced to fight with broken ribs.

The 39-year-old said he almost called off the fight when he broke his ribs during sparring just over a month ago, and a body blow from Cameron re-injured Green's ribs in the opening round.

The Australian said he endured the 12-round old-school brawl struggling for breath.

Trailing on points with only a round to go, the only way Cameron was going to become the first New Zealand-born professional boxer in more than a century to win a world title was a knock-out, but Green was never going to let that happen.

Aucklander Cameron, a natural heavyweight, had to shed almost eight kilos to make the catch-weight of 89kg, but that effort didn't seem to affect his stamina.

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