Mackie sliced by Razor in title fight

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Larry "Razor" Sharpe definitely looked like a man on a mission on April 18th as he systematically beat down Canadian middleweight champion Bryon Mackie at the 22nd annual Shaw Festival card in Toronto. Sharpe won the vacant WBA Intercontinental Light Middleweight Title in one of the best Canadian fights in years as a bloodied, bruised, and beaten Mackie called it quits after the 10th round. Sharpe had been waiting five months to avenge his close and controversial 10-round split decision loss to Mackie last November in a Canadian title bout. However, Sharpe didn't regain the title with the win as the bout was contracted at junior middleweight. The Canadian title wasn't on Sharpe's mind though, as he just wanted the opportunity to even the score with Mackie at any weight.

Sharpe started the bout strongly by using his southpaw style to good effect. He rocked Mackie in the first round but showed some patience and stuck to his game plan. Mackie answered well, and the fight was give and take for the first three rounds. Sharpe picked up the pace in the fourth as he snapped Mackie's head back numerous times with some hard, accurate shots. He pinned Mackie against the ropes and unloaded an onslaught of punches. However, Mackie stood his ground and countered with some effective uppercuts and right hands to Sharpe's head.

The fifth and sixth rounds were also good ones for Sharpe as he continued to press the action and had Mackie against the ropes and in the corner several times. Mackie's face was visibly becoming red and swollen after taking the punishment. Sharpe appeared to tire slightly in the seventh round, and the two accidentally collided heads, adding more woes to Mackie's bloodied face.It appeared that Sharpe gained his second wind in the eighth and the two engaged in some lively exchanges. This all came to a sudden halt though, as the referee led Mackie to his corner for repairs to his glove. The action slowed a little after this, but Sharpe finally caught Mackie against the ropes and inadvertently caught him in the face with a shoulder or elbow, causing Mackie to wince in pain and turn his back to the action.

Sharpe continued to press the action in the ninth and 10th rounds and it appeared as though Mackie was making his last stand midway through the 10th as he threw everything he had at Sharpe, but couldn't stop the constant barrage of leather coming his way. Mackie had apparently shot his load and told his cornermen he was finished at the end of the round.

With the win, the 32-year-old Sharpe from Pine Falls, Manitoba raises his record to 18-4 (7), while the 33-year-old Mackie of Orangeville, Ontario falls to 28-14 (10).

On the undercard, welterweight Michael Springer 5-2-1 (2) of Trinidad and Tobago beat Corey Houston 3-3-1 (2) of Winnipeg, Manitoba by a six round unanimous decision. The scores were 59-55, 59-55, and 58-56.

Middleweights Codey Hannah 5-0-1 (2) of Winnipeg, and Tebor Brosch 0-1-1 of Toronto fought to an exciting four round draw. The scores were 39-37, 37-39, and 38-38. Hannah had beaten Brosch by a close unanimous decision three months ago in Brosch's pro debut.

The evening opened with a three round exhibition match featuring 45-year-old former Commonwealth and Canadian welterweight champion Donovan Boucher 30-5 (18), who retired in 1996, against 40-year-old Abdullah Ramadan 13-7 (9), who hadn't fought since 1998. Boucher is trying to receive a license to box competitively in Ontario and he also challenged the winner of the Sharpe vs Mackie bout.

Former world heavyweight champ Joe Frazier, former Canadian heavyweight champ George Chuvalo and former WBF and Canadian welterweight champ Fitz Vanderpool were all guests at the bouts.