Cameron takes out Davis in 11th round

The Mountain Warrior reigned supreme in Gisborne, but it wasn't the roll over many had anticipated.

It took Shane "The Mountain Warrior" Cameron until the 11th round before he managed to take care of Robert "Desert Storm" Davis by technical knockout tonight.

The win meant Cameron successfully defended his IBF Pan Pacific boxing title.

Thousands packed into a covered equestrian arena in Cameron's hometown of Gisborne to watch their favourite son in action. Also ringside was David Tua, who Cameron is set to meet in Hamilton in June.

It was a fighter's fight, with plenty of hard punches traded and both men facing up to their opponent - this was no dance around the ring.

"It's a matter of weathering the storm," said Cameron after the fight. "I just couldn't quite finish him off - I thought I might have got him out in just a couple of rounds but hey, I'm happy with the result."

Both came out firing at the first bell, and by the fifth round Davis was noticeably tiring. Cameron was sporting a cut between the eyes he'd picked up in a clash of heads in the second round, but his manger Ken Reinsfield did a great job keep that under control.

By the sixth, both men were feeling the heat in the steamy arena, with Cameron opting for big body shots. Davis was getting some good punches in but Cameron says he was never really troubled by the big American.

"But he's a big guy and I had to keep my wits about myself."

The crowd made no secret of their preference, with the Cameron chant going up accompanied by cheers and whistles, and a moving haka at the end of the fight put the icing on the cake for Cameron .

Cameron's trainer Lolo Heimuli was very pleased with the win, and particularly with his defence.

"I still feel there is work to do but I feel he was dominating the fight when it was stopped - it was a good result," he said. "Now we will go back and start to get ready for Tua." He found the atmosphere amazing.

"I thought Wellington was big but these guys drowned them out."

And David Tua was also impressed.

"It was humbling to be in Shane Cameron's house," he said. "I was walking in there thinking they would throw things at me... it must have been hard for Cameron's supporters... but they started standing and cheering. I was shocked in a good way.

"I was honoured to see the love, support and aroha the people of Gisborne have for Shane."

He felt Cameron did a "beautiful" job on Davis.

"There are those you hit and they fall and those you have to do more than two, three or four to put them away. I am sure Shane thought he could have done better, but a win is a win."

Tua has just finished his first week of training for the Cameron fight and said things are going really well.

"Hey I'm not boastful, but it is official and reality - I will come to hurt Cameron."

-NZPA