Solomon Haumono
Encyclopedia
Solomon Haumono is a professional boxer
and former rugby league
player of Tongan descent. He attended Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham
and represented them in the New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges Australian Schoolboys team 1993.
, his preferred position was second row. He played in the NRL
for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
, Canterbury Bulldogs
, Balmain Tigers
, St George Illawarra Dragons
, and in Super League
for London Broncos/Harlequins RL. Soloman 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 was renowned as one of the hardest hitters in the game during his football career.
Haumono was also involved in a bizarre on-field incident, where after being left prone on the field after being on the receiving end of a heavy tackle, his mother ran on to the pitch to render assistance. He dated Gabrielle Richens
for a period of time during his time with the Bulldogs. They have since separated.
in 2000. He followed in the footsteps of his father (former Australian 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.
in 2003, Haumono joined 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.
on August 27, 2008 and won the fight by unanimous decision.He fought Colin Wilson on March 11, 2009 with the fight going to a draw after ten rounds. Solomon won his next fight by disqualification on May 16, 2009 against 1–0 Royce Sio after Sio hit Haumono in the jaw while Haumono lay on the canvas and Sio hit him two more times causing the referee to stop the fight 0:15 into round one.
He fought Justin Whitehead on August 16, 2009 and lost for the first time in his career by split decision. He most recently defeated Michael Kirby by tenth round TKO for the OPBF Heavyweight Title on September 18, 2009.
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
and former rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player of Tongan descent. He attended Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham
Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham
Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham , is a Roman Catholic, day school for boys, located in Lewisham, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and represented them in the New South Wales Combined Catholic Colleges Australian Schoolboys team 1993.
League career
In rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
, his preferred position was second row. He played in the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
, Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
, Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
, St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
, and in Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
for London Broncos/Harlequins RL. Soloman played at representative level for New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
and Australia
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
, 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
Tonga national rugby league team
The Tonga national rugby league team is a national sporting side, representing Tonga in rugby league football. Rugby league is a popular sport in Tonga, and the national team has become one of the best performed nations in the world...
. Haumono was renowned as one of the hardest hitters in the game during his football career.
Haumono was also involved in a bizarre on-field incident, where after being left prone on the field after being on the receiving end of a heavy tackle, his mother ran on to the pitch to render assistance. He dated Gabrielle Richens
Gabrielle Richens
Gabrielle Richens is a British model and TV presenter. She was born in Kent of British, Indian and Chinese extraction although her parents are from South Africa. Richens has worked as a model since she was fifteen when she signed with the Elite modeling agency...
for a period of time during his time with the Bulldogs. They have since separated.
Boxing career
Haumono first took time out of rugby after his spell with the St George Illawarra DragonsSt George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
in 2000. He followed in the footsteps of his father (former Australian 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
Heavyweight
Heavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
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 League
Following a second spell with ManlyManly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
in 2003, Haumono joined 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.
Return to boxing
Haumono resumed his boxing career with a first round knockout on 7 March 2007. He is currently training under well respected trainer Johnny Lewis who has assisted Haumono in reaching his 14–0 (all by K.O) record in the heavyweight ranks]. He fought Cliff CouserCliff Couser
Clifford Couser is a heavyweight boxer. Nicknamed "The Black Bull" and often "Twin Tyson" for his resemblance to Mike Tyson, Couser fought several contenders from his era...
on August 27, 2008 and won the fight by unanimous decision.He fought Colin Wilson on March 11, 2009 with the fight going to a draw after ten rounds. Solomon won his next fight by disqualification on May 16, 2009 against 1–0 Royce Sio after Sio hit Haumono in the jaw while Haumono lay on the canvas and Sio hit him two more times causing the referee to stop the fight 0:15 into round one.
He fought Justin Whitehead on August 16, 2009 and lost for the first time in his career by split decision. He most recently defeated Michael Kirby by tenth round TKO for the OPBF Heavyweight Title on September 18, 2009.