After being kicked retired of the NRL for betting connected games, exiled erstwhile Tigers centre Tim Simona thought he'd effort his manus astatine boxing - but a stern world cheque is what helium got successful return.
Simona was booted from the NRL successful 2016 and admitted to having a gambling and cocaine addiction that adjacent saw him bargain from a nine foundation fundraiser to money his habits.
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He hasn't been capable to proceed his nonrecreational sporting vocation since the incident, forcing him to springiness boxing a spell - but it's wide his aboriginal successful the athletics volition beryllium short.
Simona was good beaten by Aaron Cocco, with a doctor's stoppage coming precocious successful the 3rd of the four-round clash.
Simona was much ascendant successful the opening round, throwing plentifulness of punches, keeping Cocco astatine bay. However, arsenic the combat wore connected his deficiency of boxing conditioning became a occupation arsenic his hostile gained steam.
Simona struggled from that constituent connected and took plentifulness of damage, starring to boxing large Jeff Fenech to rage against the refereeing exhibited during the fight.
"Great enactment by the doctor, that's what it was. It's a large occupation due to the fact that the referee should've stopped it, and the country should've stopped it. I'm not gonna propulsion immoderate punches present - to me, that's not a bully look," helium said.
"Of people the combat should've been stopped. The referee's lasting determination watching this feline get deed without coming back.
"In the archetypal circular it was Simona that opened up landing 10 oregon 12 punches ... it looked similar Cocco was gonna bash what Simona did.
"I deliberation helium (Simona) learned it's a small spot harder than playing football. But helium enactment up a large show, the archetypal circular I thought this mightiness beryllium a immense triumph for him, but the doctor's done the close happening and I instrumentality my chapeau disconnected to him."
It's improbable Simona volition beryllium seen successful the ringing again, though thing is imaginable if he's capable to find a spot connected a combat paper successful the adjacent aboriginal owed to his notoriety.
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