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"JUST ANOTHER FLORIDA ALLIANCE CHOKE JOB"
Friday 13 September 2002
In the aftermath of last night's IBL Connecticut fight card Indianapolis slugger Mike Hanson took his latest shot at the Florida Alliance this morning, calling James Ray's draw against Ray Leonard "just another Florida Alliance choke job."
"Tell me I'm wrong," said Hanson, during an interview on a local sports radio talk show. "It started when Elmer Ray fought Patterson and then Gomez and McCall both failed when they had chances to put themselves in a great position. Sure, McCall made stage two but he could have finished 1st and he blew it against that Morrison dude. And last night it happened again. James Ray had Leonard at his mercy. He really only needed to win one of those last three rounds and it would have been enough. But like the others, he choked. That's all they are, a bunch of chokers and last night was just another Florida Alliance choke job."
In the past the Alliance members have more or less shrugged off Hanson's comments, so it will be interesting to see how they reply to this latest outburst.
Hanson will board a plane for Los Angeles later today, his second bout in the HBF's Qualifying League scheduled to take place Tuesday night at the Staples Center. The Florida Alliance will be in attendance, as Romy Alvarez also features on the card. Hanson confirmed that a quartet of his closest friends will be accompanying him on the flight.
"Yeah, we'll be the Indiana Alliance," he joked. "My boys'll have my back just in case anything goes down while I'm out there."
Unsatisfied with his debut showing, Hanson said that he'll be trying for an early night on Tuesday.
"The plan is to be out of there within three rounds," he said. "I feel that I'm stronger and faster now than I was five weeks ago, and that's bad news for Antonio Serioux."
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