Азума Нельсон 1990 оны аравдугаар сарын 13-нд Сидней хотноо болсон тулаанд Хуан Лапортыг шүүгчдийн санал нэгтэй шийдвэрээр ялж, WBC-ийн супер хагас хөнгөн жингийн аварга цолоо хамгаалж үлджээ.
Сиднейн цэнгээний төвд болсон уг тулаанд шүүгчид 116–113, 116–112, 115–113 гэсэн оноогоор Нельсоныг ялсанд тооцсон байна. Энэхүү ялалт нь түүнд аваргын бүсээ хадгалах боломж олгож, Жэфф Фенечтэй хийхээр төлөвлөсөн тулааныг нь цуцлагдахаас сэргийлжээ. Гэвч 32 настай Гана улсын боксчин тулааны дараа сэтгэл зүйн хувьд хүнд байснаа хүлээн зөвшөөрсөн байна. Тэрээр дөрвөн сарын өмнө гэргийгээ хорт хавдрын улмаас алдсан бөгөөд тулааны үеэр өөрийнх нь чадвар ердөө 50 хувьтай байсан гэж ярьжээ.
Тулааны явцад Нельсон зүүн гарын жаб цохилт болон хөлийн хурдны ачаар Лапортыг өөртөө ойртуулалгүй, рингний төвд тоглолтыг удирдсан байна. Өрсөлдөгч нь хүчтэй цохилтуудаар хариу барихыг оролдсон ч Нельсоныг барьж чадаагүй нь үзэгчдийн дунд бага зэрэг сэтгэл дундуур байдал үүсгэжээ. Лапорт тоглолтын хэмнэлээ хурдасгах шаардлагатай байснаа хүлээн зөвшөөрөхийн зэрэгцээ өөрийн хүчтэй цохилтууд илүү үнэлэгдэх ёстой байсан гэж үзсэн байна.
Нельсоны дасгалжуулагч Хосе Мартин шавьдаа сэтгэл дундуур байгаагаа илэрхийлж, тухайн үед Жэфф Фенеч хоёр боксчны хэнийг нь ч ялах боломжтой байсан гэж дүгнэжээ. Энэхүү тулаан нь Нельсоны хувьд карьерынх нь нам гүм үеийн нэг хэсэг байсан бөгөөд үүний дараа 1991 онд Лас-Вегаст Фенечтэй хийсэн маргаантай тулаан, 1992 онд Мельбурн хотноо хийсэн ялалт зэрэг томоохон үйл явдлууд хүлээж байв.
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Azumah Nelson kept his WBC super featherweight title against Juan Laporte on October 13, 1990, but the champion left Sydney with little satisfaction. He had won the fight while still grieving the death of his wife, and afterward acknowledged that his mind had been elsewhere.
Thirty-six years ago today, Nelson took a unanimous decision at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. The scores were 116–113, 116–112 and 115–113. It was enough to preserve his title and keep a planned fight with Jeff Fenech alive, although his performance gave the Australian reason for encouragement.
Nelson, 32, was returning from a decision defeat against Pernell Whitaker five months earlier, when he had moved up to challenge for the lightweight titles. Back at 130 pounds, he faced another experienced opponent who was difficult to discourage.
Laporte had held the WBC featherweight crown and possessed the power to punish a careless champion. His knockout of Rocky Lockridge had demonstrated that danger. Nelson had little incentive to plant his feet and give him repeated opportunities to land.
Instead, the Ghanaian worked behind his left jab and used his quicker feet to keep the challenger reaching. Laporte pushed him toward the ropes at times, but Nelson repeatedly found his way back into open space. A contemporary report described the jab as the punch that kept Laporte from taking control.
That approach frustrated Laporte and disappointed spectators hoping for a harder fight. The challenger landed heavier punches in stretches, particularly when Nelson stayed near the ropes, but could not maintain enough pressure to make those moments the pattern of the night.
Nelson’s explanation afterward gave the subdued performance a painful context.
“I was only 50 percent, my head was not clear,” he told UPI, explaining that his wife had died of cancer four months earlier.
His trainer, Jose Martin, was unhappy too, believing Fenech would have beaten either boxer that night. Laporte felt his heavier shots deserved more credit, although he acknowledged that he needed to work at a faster pace.
The fight showed how much Nelson could accomplish with his boxing alone. Laporte wanted opportunities to use his power; Nelson made him spend too much time trying to get into position.
Bigger nights followed: the disputed draw with Fenech in Las Vegas in 1991, then Nelson’s eighth-round stoppage victory in Melbourne in 1992. Sydney was a quieter chapter, with a grieving champion doing enough to leave with his belt.
