‘The Great’ Corito makes it eleven straight wins

What was predicted to be the hardest and toughest fight yet for Billy Corito turned out to be yet another great show of strength and skill by the Maltese boxer and a sickening demonstration of an unsportsmanlike performance by Dutchman Harry Duiven Jr. who was disqualified in the sixth and final round for elbowing, head butting, biting and holding his opponent.

Maltese Heavyweight Champion Billy Corito forcefully hit Dutchman Harry Duiven Jr on the way to his eleventh consecutive victory!  (Photo: Keith Borg @ Lux Moments)
Maltese Heavyweight Champion Billy Corito forcefully hit Dutchman Harry Duiven Jr on the way to his eleventh consecutive victory! (Photo: Keith Borg @ Lux Moments)

By Wilfred Sultana

The 6' 3" Dutchman Harry Duiven Jr was repeatedly cautioned by the referee for his foul play throughout the whole fight and should consider himself lucky that he was not disqualified earlier. A surprising unprofessional approach indeed by the Dutch boxer previous respected for his predominately positive winning record. In fact Corito was 6 points ahead before the disqualification.

The atmosphere at the full-house Dolmen Hotel auditorium was electrifying particularly during Corito's hard hitting moments and Duiven's excessive trickery tactics.

With this remarkable victory Corito retained the EBF Intercontinental Heavyweight Title Belt and moves further up the EBF Heavyweight category rankings. In fact following this stunning win the Maltese boxer is expected to move up to 4th place in the EBF heavyweight category a place previous held by the defeated Dutchman Duiven.

Indeed 2012 has been an outstanding one for Malta's Billy Corito, known as ‘the Hit Man', who has only been a Semi-Professional Boxer on the European Boxing Federation books since December 2011.

Yet, in the past months Corito featured victoriously in four big fights confronting Ian Toby in January, Davey ‘Boy' Clarke in April, Eric ‘The Viking' Thompson in July and Harry Duiven Jr in December. In so doing he stretched his unbeaten record to eleven victories out of eleven fights - nine of which were Knock-Out victories with other two wins by points.

The other significant fight on yesterday's thrilling night of boxing was that between Dione Galea who was defending the EBF Intercontinental Title Belt Middleweight category title in a fight against Jason ‘Ruthless' Curtis, an EBF British Champion. This fight was a repeat after the July encounter between the same boxers registered a draw result. However last night the strong British Champion was simple phenomenal and in the 45 second of the 3rd session Galea succumbed by a technical knockout.

In the opening six bouts Maltese boxers faired extremely well where five victories to one defeat were registered. The final results were Etienne Spiteri won by points vs Daniel Helwitt, Brandon Borg won by technical KO vs Luke Bennett, Ronald Tabone won by points vs Joseph Quayle, Morgan Jackson won by points vs Justin Grech, "Beqqu" Chircop won by points vs Raja Afzal and Tyrone Borg won by points vs Jack Butler.

The main sponsors of this successful December Night of Boxing, organized by the European Boxing Federation and local promoter Paul Borg, were RE/MAX, Fortina Hotel, The Party Bus Malta and MedAsia Playa. Other support was extended by Golden Harvest, Badass Burgers, Barcelona Lounge, and London Butcher-Gzira