Solomon Haumono Explained

Solomon Haumono
Birth Date:1975 10, df=yes
Birth Place:Auckland, New Zealand
Height:188cm (74inches)
Weight:111kg (245lb)
Club1:Manly Sea Eagles
Year1start:1994
Year1end:96
Appearances1:39
Tries1:6
Goals1:0
Fieldgoals1:0
Points1:24
Club2:Canterbury Bulldogs
Year2start:1997
Year2end:98
Appearances2:25
Tries2:7
Goals2:0
Fieldgoals2:0
Points2:28
Club3:Balmain Tigers
Year3start:1999
Appearances3:8
Tries3:1
Goals3:0
Fieldgoals3:0
Points3:4
Club4:St. George Illawarra
Year4start:2000
Appearances4:2
Tries4:0
Goals4:0
Fieldgoals4:0
Points4:0
Club5:Manly Sea Eagles
Year5start:2003
Year5end:04
Appearances5:37
Tries5:1
Goals5:0
Fieldgoals5:0
Points5:4
Club6:London Broncos
Year6start:2005
Year6end:06
Appearances6:48
Tries6:15
Goals6:0
Fieldgoals6:0
Points6:60
Teama:NSW City
Yearastart:2003
Appearancesa:1
Triesa:0
Goalsa:0
Fieldgoalsa:0
Pointsa:0
Teamb:New Sth Wales (SL)
Yearbstart:1997
Appearancesb:3
Triesb:0
Goalsb:0
Fieldgoalsb:0
Pointsb:0
Yearcstart:1997
Appearancesc:1
Triesc:0
Goalsc:0
Fieldgoalsc:0
Pointsc:0
Teamd:Tonga
Yeardstart:1995
Yeardend:06
Appearancesd:2
Triesd:0
Goalsd:0
Fieldgoalsd:0
Pointsd:0
Retired:yes
Source:[1]
Updated:31 October 2019
Module:
Embed:yes
Nickname:Solo
Nationality:Tonga
Style:Orthodox
Total:30
Wins:24
Losses:4
Draws:2
Ko:21

Solomon Haumono (Tonga (Tonga Islands);: Solomone Haumono; born 13 October 1975) is a former professional boxer and former rugby league footballer of Tongan descent.

Early life

He attended Newtown Boys High School, Newtown, New South Wales. He then went on to Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham and represented them in the New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges Australian Schoolboys team 1993.[2]

Rugby league career

In rugby league, his preferred position was . He played in the NRL for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, the Balmain Tigers, the St George Illawarra Dragons, and in the Super League for the London Broncos/Harlequins RL. Haumono played at representative level for New South Wales and Australia, although these three state matches and one international match were in 1997, when Super League contracted players were ineligible for State of Origin selection. He also captained Tonga.

Haumono made his first grade debut for Manly-Warringah in round 11 1994 against Balmain, coming off the bench in a 42–0 victory at Leichhardt Oval. In 1995, Haumono featured heavily in the Manly side which won the minor premiership having lost only 2 matches all year. Haumono played from the bench in Manly's shock grand final loss to Canterbury. In 1996, Haumono played 14 games but missed out on selection in Manly's premiership winning side which defeated St. George in the grand final.

In 1997, Haumono signed with Canterbury who aligned themselves with the rival Super League competition during the Super League war. During the 1998 NRL season, Haumono walked out on Canterbury midway through the year after devising a plan to get out of his contract with the club. Haumono's plan was to join his supposed girlfriend Gabrielle Richens in England. Haumono elaborated on the plan saying I was under contract for the Bulldogs so it was decided to come up with a plan that would ultimately force the Bulldogs to rip up my contract, So the plan was formed that I was going to chase after my girlfriend at the time in England. So off I went and before I knew it, the paper got a hold of it and blew it up, making headline news and myself being chased by the media at home and even there in London".[3]

The plan was devised by Haumono and close friend Anthony Mundine but fell over when Canterbury got wind of the plot and instead fined Haumono and put him in reserve grade.[3]

In 1999, Haumono signed with Balmain. Haumono only made 8 appearances for Balmain due to an elbow injury. In 2000, Haumono joined St George but only featured in 2 games, the last of which was the club's humiliating 70–10 loss against Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.[4]

Return to League

Following a second spell with Manly in 2003, Haumono joined the London Broncos and played in the capital for two seasons. In December 2006, with a year remaining on his contract, Haumono quit rugby league to return to professional boxing.

Boxing career

2000 to 2002

Haumono first took time out of rugby league after his spell with the St George Illawarra Dragons in 2000.[5] He followed in the footsteps of his father (Australian former heavyweight champion Maile Haumono) to take up a career in professional boxing. He fought eight times between 2000 and 2002, winning all of his heavyweight contests inside the distance. Solomon briefly held the title of New South Wales heavyweight champion before rejecting an offer to join the stable of American promoter Don King and returning to rugby league.

Return to boxing – post 2008

Haumono resumed his boxing career with a first-round knockout on 7 March 2007. He began training under trainer Johnny Lewis who has assisted Haumono in reaching his 14–0 (all by K.O.) record in the heavyweight ranks. He fought Cliff Couser on 27 August 2008 and won the fight by unanimous decision. He fought Colin Wilson on 11 March 2009 with the fight going to a draw after ten rounds. Solomon won his next fight by disqualification on 16 May 2009 against Royce Sio (1w-0l-0d). Haumono was floored in the eleventh second of the first round by a right hook from Sio, but Sio then leaned down and hit Haumono again while Haumono's back was on the ground, leading to an instant disqualification. Haumono was back on his feet a few seconds later.[6]

Haumono fought Justin Whitehead on 16 August 2009 and lost for the first time in his career by split decision. He defeated Michael Kirby by tenth-round TKO for the OPBF Heavyweight Title on 18 September 2009, and became the Australian Heavyweight Champion after a tenth-round TKO of Franklin Egobi in Melbourne on 7 September 2012.[7]

On 31 December 2012, he fought k1 legend Kyotaro Fuijmoto under boxing rules defeating him in the fifth round via TKO.

On 28 April 2013, he lost by TKO to Kevin Johnson.

On 21 July 2016, he lost by TKO to Joseph Parker.[8]

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
30Loss24–4–2 Tomasz AdamekUD1024 Jun 2017
29Loss24–3–2 Joseph ParkerTKO4 (12), 21 Jul 2016
28Win24–2–2 Manuel Alberto PuchetaKO6 (10), 27 Apr 2016
27Win23–2–2 Hunter SamUD1030 Oct 2015
26Win22–2–2 Filipo Fonoti MasoeKO4 (6), 24 Jul 2015
25Win21–2–2 Marcelo Luiz NascimentoTKO3 (8), 17 Oct 2013
24Loss20–2–2 Kevin JohnsonKO10 (12), 28 Apr 2013
23Win20–1–2 Kyotaro FujimotoTKO5 (12), 31 Dec 2012
22Win19–1–2 Franklin EgobiTKO10 (10), 7 Sep 2012
21Draw18–1–2 Joey Wilson85 Jul 2012
20Win18–1–1 Junior PatiKO2 (6), 8 Dec 2011
19Win17–1–1 Michael KirbyTKO10 (12), 18 Sep 2009
18Loss16–1–1 Justin WhiteheadSD1016 Aug 2009
17Win16–0–1 Royce SioDQ1 (6), 16 May 2009
16Draw15–0–1 Colin Wilson1011 Mar 2009
15Win15–0 Cliff CouserUD827 Aug 2008
14Win14–0 Tommy ConnellyTKO3 (6), 27 Feb 2008
13Win13–0 Seiaute Ma'ilataKO2 (6), 10 Dec 2007
12Win12–0 Mosese KavikaKO1 (6), 21 Apr 2012
11Win11–0 Oscar TalemairaTKO1 (6), 25 May 2007
10Win10–0 Alex MeneTKO3 (6), 27 Apr 2007
9Win9–0 Fatu TuimanonoKO1 (4), 7 Mar 2007
8Win8–0 Fatu TuimanonoTKO2 (6), 14 Jun 2002
7Win7–0 Auckland AuimatagiTKO6 (10), 10 May 2002
6Win6–0 Shane WijohnKO5 (6), 19 Apr 2002
5Win5–0 Mark AlexanderTKO3 (6), 4 Mar 2002
4Win4–0 John WybornKO 2 (10), 13 Jul 2001
3Win3–0 Martin OpetaiaTKO7 (8), 2 Mar 2001
2Win2–0 Paul Srama1 (6), 4 Sep 2000
1Win1–0 Ken Fuller2 (4), 3 Jul 2000

Personal life

Haumono is married to Margaret, who is a cousin of his friend and fellow rugby league player-turned boxer Anthony Mundine. Solomon and Margaret have five children.[9]

He dated English model Gabrielle Richens for a period of time during his time with Canterbury.

In 2015, Haumono revealed he had been suffering a drug addiction during his league career. He was addicted to ice, cocaine and ecstasy.[10]

External links

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Solomon Haumono – Career Stats & Summary – Rugby League Project. rugbyleagueproject.org. 2019-10-30.
  2. http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=7-3444-0-0-0&sID=33364# www.sportingpulse.com
  3. Web site: Dash was business not pleasure . The Sydney Morning Herald . 20 August 2011 . 18 January 2022.
  4. Web site: Dragons v Storm: Scott out, Olam and Robson to make debuts. NRL. May 2018 .
  5. Web site: Boxing: Haumono's fight not biggest he has faced . The New Zealand Herald . 16 July 2016 . 30 November 2021.
  6. Web site: Solomon Haumono flattened, felled by more punches as he lay on the canvas . 18 May 2009 . FoxSports . 18 January 2022.
  7. Web site: Australian champ has sound advice for SBW . Daniel Lane . Stuff . 9 December 2012 . 18 January 2022.
  8. Web site: Boxing: Joseph Parker knocks out Solomon Haumono in Christchurch . The New Zealand Herald . 21 July 2016 . 30 November 2021.
  9. https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/solomon-huamono-knows-its-a-case-of-now-or-never-for-his-boxing-career/news-story/e439f4e71df97593da4d93585e7b8b4a?sv=b69963fa0dec52470afd5cbc975ccac6 "Solomon Huamono knows its a case of now or never for his boxing career"
  10. Web site: Drugs, guns and suicide: Solomon Haumono's explosive confessions of out-of-control addiction . The Daily Telegraph. London . 26 October 2015 . 30 November 2021.