[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Ric915

Awesome Stuff so far KC. Tough draw for Moe Getting Zale in his debut. I'm sure he'll bounce back

Thanks, Ric. Here's Mr. Ketchel's debut...

(continuation of post #280)

"He was just too aggressive for me," lamented Moe afterwards. "I spent so much time defending and absorbing his shots that I had nothing left to throw at him."

The Missouri slugger was clearly shattered by the defeat, looking stunned during the interview.

"I'm feelin' kinda numb right now," he said. "I never contemplated losing this fight and the way it's happened ... I'm finding it hard to believe. I know the guy was a bronze medallist but I just felt so confident when I stepped through those ropes, you know? I guess I'll have to re-evaluate how far along I am."

Zale's showing will only strengthen the case of those who believe he can win the World Championship. His level of fitness was remarkable, allowing him to work at an incredible rate for most of the fight. It will be interesting to see who he's matched up against in series two.

***

The evening had now reached its midpoint and in a surprise for the audience, legendary guitarist and Pittsburgh native George Benson made his way to the ring accompanied by a bass player and percussionist. They received a warm welcome before launching into brilliant stripped-down versions of some of his biggest hits including "Give Me The Night", "Turn Your Love Around" and "On Broadway". The thirty minute set had the crowd on their feet applauding, dancing and clapping along, Benson proving that at the age of 59, he's still a marvellous musician. The trio departed to a standing ovation, Benson waving and smiling to the crowd.

***

Support Bout

One of the combatants that many in attendance were looking forward to seeing was Michigan's Stanley Ketchel. Now one week short of his eighteenth birthday, he'd made a huge impression during June's Indianapolis selection trials, his extroverted, kooky personality matched by his aggressive disposition and punching power when in the ring. Ketchel's intense training workouts and his even more intense rivalry with Wisconsin native Jake Morrison were the highlights of those Conseco Fieldhouse trials and the Polish-born slugger's debut was one of the most anticipated bouts from the entire first week of IBL competition.

His opponent could not have been a more polar opposite: respectful and modest, Minnesota's Mike O'Dowd will have to rely more on his technical ability and intellect rather than any physical traits if he wants to succeed in this tournament. He's a gifted boxer, no doubt, but his chances of taking out opponents with a series of devastating right hand bombs are not good. Going up against Ketchel on debut was by no means an ideal career start but O'Dowd looked calm and collected as he prowled the ring in the moments before the opening bell.

Bringing the crowd to their feet, Ketchel had made his way to the ring dressed in black and accompanied by the heavy metal onslaught of Metallica's "Battery". Once between the ropes he flipped off his hood to reveal a freshly-shaven pate. He smiled and winked to the crowd, left fist raised, before regarding his opponent with an unsettling gaze for a good ten seconds. O'Dowd stared right back at him, unwavering, before Ketchel's trainer called him back to his corner.

Most experts were predicting a difficult night for O'Dowd and those beliefs were confirmed within the opening minute of the fight when he was sent to the canvas with the first punch that Ketchel landed, a crushing uppercut that had the Minnesota native on his backside and the crowd on their feet. O'Dowd pushed himself up at three, leaning on the ropes for support as he looked at Ketchel with a perturbed expression on his face. Like a shark smelling blood in the water Ketchel came in for the kill but his initial attempts at finishing his man off were rushed, haphazard and inaccurate. It wasn't until later in the round where Ketchel was able to land some really telling blows with a solid cross followed almost immediately by another one of those smashing uppercuts. O'Dowd connected with an uppercut of his own just before the bell but there was little behind it and he returned to his corner on unsteady legs. The crowd had been right in Ketchel's corner and they applauded enthusiastically as he shouted and pounded his chest, a wild quality in his eyes.

O'Dowd looked visibly shaken and, dare I say it, scared as he sat on his stool, breathing heavily. He came out for round two but one could only wonder why as Ketchel was on him within moments of the bell. A smashing left hook landed flush on O'Dowd's jaw, chased by a left-right salvo and then a right hook that snapped O'Dowd's head around: all this within the opening minute. O'Dowd tried to keep Ketchel at bay with the jab but it was a hopeless, feeble effort. Ketchel simply walked through the punches and then dropped his man for a second time, a right rip to the ribcage bringing a grimace from O'Dowd. He fell to one knee, clutching at his side. He was up at eight but it was clear that the end was near.

Ketchel came in once more, a sledgehammer-like straight right careening off O'Dowd's cheekbone. Ketchel unleashed that chopping left-right salvo again, merciless in his assault. As the round entered its final minute O'Dowd was at his mercy. A left hook backed O'Dowd into a neutral corner and when Ketchel moved in and unleashed a straight right, a left hook and another straight right (this one catching O'Dowd right on the forehead) referee David Smoger had seen enough. He pulled Ketchel away and embraced the battered, beaten Minnesotan, calling the fight over at the 2:37 mark.

(to be continued)