It was one of the toughest fights of Dave “Mad Dog” Motta’s life.
The 59-year-old Hilo boxer earned a victory over Duane Amaral via fourth-round technical knockout to retain his Toughman Hawaii master division title on Saturday night at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
Amaral was a switch-stance fighter, going from southpaw to righty and Motta had to figure out a way to use his jab to set up his right hand.
Motta also considers Amaral a friend, which explains why he didn’t go in for a quick and clean knockout after flooring him a few times.
But the most difficult opponent for Motta was battling a broken heart. His wife, Danni Inouye Motta, died Feb. 6 giving birth to the couple’s child.
The couple’s daughter, Danni girl Motta, is currently at Kapiolani Medical Center on Oahu. Motta, 59, is a single parent of 11 children.
Motta is a well-established boxer and put on a brilliant tactical performance against Amaral, who couldn’t touch a shadow that threw punches then disappeared.
He stayed away from Amaral’s center line, making sure his chin and opponent’s subsequent punches were never in the same neighborhood. Motta jabbed, moved and rained punches from somewhere else, a stick-and-move artist in perpetual motion.
“I was counting on my conditioning and jab,” said Motta, who’s 62-9 or somewhere in that incredible range. “I had a hard time figuring out how to use my right hand. But I kept using my jab plenty.”
Motta jabbed to gauge distance, delivered a package of quick blows and moved away from Amaral’s knockout power. It was a strategy of attack that worked to perfection for five rounds of two-minute action.
In the first round, Motta landed a straight right that floored Amaral. In the third, he dropped Amaral again with a straight right. In the fourth, Motta caught him with a right hook to the head. In the fifth, he walloped Amaral with a right square to the chin.
After the long day that lasted past midnight, Motta reflected on the fight that his wife wanted him to take.
“I lost my wife two week ago when she died giving birth,” he said. “When I met my wife, that was the best thing that happened to me. We were married for seven years. I know my wife wanted me to fight and I dedicated this fight to her. I wanted to do it for her.
“She leaves behind five kids and one in the hospital at Kapiolani. I have my hands full as a single parent. My wife and I were really family oriented. Everything I did was for the love of my kids and her.”
A gofundme page has been set up for Danni Inouye Motta.
Editor’s note: This story has been modified to change errors in fact.