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kenyan_cheena · 04-20-2009, 11:55 PM

Crawford County Daily

FRIDAY 28 JULY 2006

Long makes disappointing exit
from IBL tournament

Story by Jerry Banks

McCune-born light-heavyweight boxer Scot Long suffered the first defeat of his professional career last night when he fell to a unanimous decision loss against New York's Melio Bettina in Topeka. After a series of unexpected results in the Americas Championship tournament's first round 2nd-seeded Long was the only favourite left in the event but he joined the casualty list after Bettina won with surprising ease. The final scorecards were 77-73, 79-71 and 78-72. Bettina gave Long a real beating in round four, leading to each judge scoring the frame 10-8 despite the absence of a knockdown. In round seven a frustrated Long was deducted a point for head-butting Bettina. When it was all over the 10th seed had outlanded Long 225-117, Bettina's record improving to 7-1(3) while Long fell to 8-1-1(4).

No doubt, the 22 year-old has blown a perfect opportunity to claim a championship early in his career. He was only too aware of that fact as he made his way back to the dressing room, shouts of encouragement from the crowd mixed in with some insults and criticism. Bettina is joined in the semi-finals by Philadelphia's Dan Bucceroni and New Jersey natives Richie Kates and Mike Rossman. Bucceroni took a unanimous decision verdict over Clarence Hinnant, Kates knocked out Sam Baroudi at the end of the final round and Rossman was far too good for George Nichols. It might just turn out being the most unlikely semi-final field of any of the International Boxing League's tournaments, with not a single top-four seed in sight.

Earlier in the evening Virginia's Steve Finley scored a 2nd round knockout of Panama's Victor Cordoba in a world ranking bout. Finley had been the #1 seed in the Americas tournament and was favoured to walk away with the belt after a fantastic career start but he was upset by Nichols last month in the opening series of bouts. Cordoba was the unfortunate soul who had to bear the brunt of Finley's frustration and he was sent to the canvas twice in round two, being counted out after the bell following the second knockdown. Finley is now 9-1(8) and insisted after the win that he's already put his tournament failure behind him and is firmly focused on taking it "one fight at a time".

^^^

#13 Kates KO8 #12 Baroudi
#8 Rossman UD8 #16 Nichols
#6 Bucceroni UD8 #14 Hinnant
#10 Bettina UD8 #2 Long

^^^

04-20-2009, 11:55 PM	#288 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 7,425 Thanks: 73 Thanked 130x in 113 posts	Crawford County Daily FRIDAY 28 JULY 2006 Long makes disappointing exit from IBL tournament Story by Jerry Banks McCune-born light-heavyweight boxer Scot Long suffered the first defeat of his professional career last night when he fell to a unanimous decision loss against New York's Melio Bettina in Topeka. After a series of unexpected results in the Americas Championship tournament's first round 2nd-seeded Long was the only favourite left in the event but he joined the casualty list after Bettina won with surprising ease. The final scorecards were 77-73, 79-71 and 78-72. Bettina gave Long a real beating in round four, leading to each judge scoring the frame 10-8 despite the absence of a knockdown. In round seven a frustrated Long was deducted a point for head-butting Bettina. When it was all over the 10th seed had outlanded Long 225-117, Bettina's record improving to 7-1(3) while Long fell to 8-1-1(4). No doubt, the 22 year-old has blown a perfect opportunity to claim a championship early in his career. He was only too aware of that fact as he made his way back to the dressing room, shouts of encouragement from the crowd mixed in with some insults and criticism. Bettina is joined in the semi-finals by Philadelphia's Dan Bucceroni and New Jersey natives Richie Kates and Mike Rossman. Bucceroni took a unanimous decision verdict over Clarence Hinnant, Kates knocked out Sam Baroudi at the end of the final round and Rossman was far too good for George Nichols. It might just turn out being the most unlikely semi-final field of any of the International Boxing League's tournaments, with not a single top-four seed in sight. Earlier in the evening Virginia's Steve Finley scored a 2nd round knockout of Panama's Victor Cordoba in a world ranking bout. Finley had been the #1 seed in the Americas tournament and was favoured to walk away with the belt after a fantastic career start but he was upset by Nichols last month in the opening series of bouts. Cordoba was the unfortunate soul who had to bear the brunt of Finley's frustration and he was sent to the canvas twice in round two, being counted out after the bell following the second knockdown. Finley is now 9-1(8) and insisted after the win that he's already put his tournament failure behind him and is firmly focused on taking it "one fight at a time". ^^^ #13 Kates KO8 #12 Baroudi #8 Rossman UD8 #16 Nichols #6 Bucceroni UD8 #14 Hinnant #10 Bettina UD8 #2 Long ^^^ __________________ The Greatest Prize in Sports The Greatest Prize in Sports: Almanac kenyan_cheena's NBA 2K11 Off Topic Dynasty