Oshana steps up IBF ladder

Anwar Oshana had all this going for him as he entered the ringWednesday to box Bruce Rumbolz at the Inland Exposition Center inWestmont: two capable fists, a large and vocal contingent of Syrianimmigrants in the audience and a truckload of confidence.

"I can become a world champion, that's how good I can be,"Oshana said. "I can be as good as I want to be."

In an exhausting and entertaining 12-round brawl matchingunbeaten super middleweights, Oshana (16-0) scored a unanimousdecision over Rumbolz (17-1-1) to claim the International BoxingFederation's Great Lakes Region championship."These people helped me," a weary Oshana said of the hundreds ofrollicking fans who chanted "Anwar! Anwar!" from start to finish.Oshana, a Chicagoan who trains out of the Windy City Gym, neededthe assistance. Rumbolz, who fights out of Downstate Sterling,withstood a steady pounding and staggered Oshana with a rightuppercut in the sixth round. But Oshana was the aggressor anddelivered crunching lefts in each of the next four rounds. For muchof the fight, he backed Rumbolz to the ropes.In the 11th round, Oshana dropped Rumbolz to the squattingposition with an overhand right. He did the same in the 12th round.The judges scored the fight 119-107, 117-110 and 116-110.The victory puts Oshana in line for an IBF Intercontinentaltitle fight against John Jarvis. He'll need that to qualify for aworld championship fight."I'm looking forward to bigger and better things," Oshana said.