Thanksgiving Tournament of the Turkeys

[mikehoudini]

Lou Savarese (1-0) vs. King Levinsky (1-0) – Lou, Bear’s favorite, had nudged Monte Barrett in a close unanimous decision. Levinsky had fought like a king in upsetting Bonecrusher Smith via a decision.

Lou dominated the first 3 rounds, 17-8, 13-6 & 8-4, on the strength of some power punches. In rounds 2 & 3, he scored almost all his points on sharp hooks and hammer-like straight rights! Levinksy bounced back to take the 4^th & 5^th, 14-10 & 12-6, avoiding Lou’s bombs and punching effectively, landing a hard cross each round.

Kingfish built a lead in the 6^th, but Savarese started landing uppercuts halfway through the round. A laser left at the end may have got him the round, 11-10. Levinsky looked tired coming out for the 7^th, and Savarese pounced like a cat, slamming home a sweet uppercut! Lou picked Kingfish apart, filleting him with a total of 54 punches, in a beautiful display of boxing that left Levinsky looking like a gutted fish, 23-4.

After the beating he took in the 7^th, Kingfish was done in, and he lost the remaining rounds, 8-0, 11-5 & 9-0. He landed a gigantic left in the 9^th, but that was his last hurrah! Lou had outlanded Kingfish, 252-153, and pulled away after 6 close rounds. I had it 98-93. The judges scored it 97-93, 95-95 (?) & 96-94, a majority decision for Lou Savarese, who advances to the Sweet 16! Is the Bear jinx broken?

[bear]

Huzzah

[mikehoudini]

Originally Posted by bear

Huzzah

I hope Lou doesn't fare as well in our (well, my) season-ending match. Maybe this win has taken too much out of him!

[mikehoudini]

Vasily Jirov (1-0 1) vs. Larry Donald (1-0 1) – Infinity had selected Jirov to get all the way to the finals, while PWillis had half-heartedly gone with Donald. Larry was all over Jirov from the opening bell, shocking the fight crowd as he landed 14 combinations & 13 crosses in blitzkrieging to a 23-0 opening stanza! The Legend hurt Vasily with a hook and laser left, and Vasily was content just to make it back to his corner!

Jirov was on the defensive in the 2^nd, though he kept punching and missing himself. A winging right before the bell salvaged the round, 7-2, and he appeared to have shaken off the effects of the 1^st round onslaught!

The next two rounds were give and take, filled with good exchanges. Donald made a great comeback in the 3^rd, a booming cross getting him the round, 11-8. Jirov jumped out to a 12-3 lead in the 4^th, cutting Donald on the left eye and landing a sweet uppercut. Larry rallied with a series of jabs, cutting the deficit to 12-10. They sleepwalked through a 6-6 5^th, though Vasily stirred the crowd with a wicked cranium-crusher. I had it 48-48 at this point.

They clinched their way through a boring 6^th, Donald landing a few times to pile up a 4-0 lead. Jirov rode a sharp hook to a 9-3 lead in the 7^th. Donald cut him on the left eyebrow and made it closer. 9-6, but it still was Jirov’s round. Jirov rocked Donald with a cross to open the 8^th. Larry landed a hard right that reopened Jirov’s cut, and Jirov pasted him with another cross, escaping with an 11-8 round.

Donald landed two searing straight rights early in the 9^th, and suddenly Vasily looked old and tired. He rallied somewhat, but Donald’s jabs and crosses gave him a 15-9 advantage, and Jirov’s left eye was swelling to boot! Vasily blasted Larry with a freight train left, and Larry covered up, trying to land some counters. Jirov got a hard right past him, and took a lackluster 10^th, 9-2.

Donald had landed more punches, 201-144, and at a higher percentage. Still, I had Jirov by a gnat’s hair, 96-95, though the huge Round 1 could have made it a draw. The judges scored this close bout 96-94 Jirov, 96-94 Donald and 96-94, for, the winner by a split decision (as Infinity and PWillis waited with bated breath)…Vasily Jirov! I have a sneaking suspicion these two will meet again! Donald couldn’t understand the decision, but saluted his foe in a nice gesture of sportsmanship!

[mikehoudini]

Oleg Machaev vs. Charlie Retzlaff – They went after each other in a crowd-pleasing opener. Retzlaff landed a huge right, but a last-second uppercut staggered him and won the round for Oleg, 16-12! Charlie opened the 2^nd with a sizzling cranium-crusher, followed shortly after by a titanic uppercut. Machaev battled back with a hard left and series of uppercuts, and it was an 11-11 pick-em round!

Retzlaff opened the 3^rd with some nice punches, then landed a wicked left hook to the body and another smashing uppercut! He landed a series of crosses and ruled the round, 21-0, but had a point deducted for rabbit punching. Machaev looked ready to fall as the round ended.

Charlie landed another uppercut early in the 4^th, but Oleg dug deep and answered with one of his own! He landed a thunderous hook, and suddenly the table was turned! Oleg fired off 2 crisp combinations, and Charlie stepped back, hurt. Machaev landed a gonzo cross, and the ref suddenly jumped in, waving his hands! Machaev was awared a TKO at 2:55 of the 4^th, in a round he’d been leading, 28-6. The Retzlaff camp was incensed, as there were only 5 seconds remaining, and Oleg seemed punched-out! Despite their protests, the fight goes into the books as a win for Machaev.

[mikehoudini]

Pat McMurtry (1-0 1) vs. Corrie Sanders (1-0 1) – Sanders’ southpaw style stymied Pat in the 1^st. Corrie landed a big cross and an even-better uppercut. Only a last-second hook by McMurtry made it respectable, 17-8.

Irish Pat adjusted and boxed nicely in a 13-4 2^nd, landing jabs & hooks and a thunderous cranium-cruncher. He boxed even better in a blistering 3^rd, staggering Sanders with a hook and savage straight right, 26-4. Landing at will, he poured in 62 punches, 22 being jabs, and had definitely adjusted to Corrie’s style!

His hands low, Sanders made a stand in the 4^th. Landing a hard combination and hook, he caught a crisp right but answered with a dazzling hook. It was close at the 2 minute mark, but Sanders landed another combination and a series of jabs, pulling away, 20-8, evening the fight!

They both looked tired coming out for the 5^th, Corrie having expended a lot of energy the last round. Pat landed a booming cross, but Corrie came back with a sizzling combination, and then another one! He was relentless, attacking with combinations and uppercuts, and a big cross almost caused McMurtry to stumble! Sanders won the round, 22-8, but how long could he go at this pace?

The fans cheered both men as they traded punches in the 6^th. Pat used his hooks and jabs well for some late counters that evened the round, 9-9. The pace slowed as both men rested for 2 minutes in the 7^th, then Irish Pat got going, rapping home hooks and occasional jabs to pull away, 13-4. I had it 67-67 at this juncture.

McMurtry went for broke in the 8^th, but his bombs were off-target in the first minute. Settling down, he landed a classic uppercut and hard hook. Corrie landed a few punches, but Pat’s jabs and hooks again were finding the range. McMurtry almost lifted Sanders’ feet off the floor with an uppercut, and Sanders tried to cover up, obviously hurt! Pat couldn’t land the put-away punch, but his 46 punches were good for a 21-6 shellacking!

Shilelagh law was all the rage in the 9^th, and McMurtry had the only weapon. He landed a herculean hook, and Corrie’s left eye was swelling. He fired a night train shot to the body, and Sanders dropped! He was up at the count of 7, but wobbly, and McMurtry punished him with hooks and jabs, taking a toll on the eye, that was now a mess! The round saved Corrie, who had been decimated, 25-0.

Needing a miracle, Sanders instead caught a dazzling hook to the body. He somehow stayed upright, clinching for a bit, then landed a sweet uppercut in a bid to stop his foe. The round ended with Corrie ahead, 7-5.

Pat had punished Corrie, outlanding him 322-183. On the strength of rounds 7-9, I had Pat winning, 96-94. The judges scored the fight 96-95, 96-93 & 96-93, a unanimous decision for Pat McMurtry. The KD had been pivotal. The fans gave a standing ovation to both boxers, who had waged a war before Sanders ran out of steam!

[mikehoudini]

Kirk Johnson (1-0) vs. Renaldo Snipes (1-0-1) – Mister Snipes, being backed by Infinity and Crimson, believed that he should have been given a bye into the Sweet 16. Johnson was a bit miffed about that view, and took the 1^st round, 9-6, a nifty left hook to the midriff his best shot. He may have won the 2^nd, 9-8, as Snipes was warned for a low blow.

In the 3^rd & 4^th, Snipes lived up to his own expectation of himself. He was lightning-quick in the 3^rd, landing machine gun-like blows, 53 of them, including a sharp cross and sizzling right, to triumph, 21-4. Between them, he landed 31 jabs & crosses. He took the 4^th, 13-2, frustrating Kirk with his proficiency.

Kirk came back to bang out a 10-7 5^th, as Snipes was conserving energy. Renaldo picked up another warning in the 6^th, but his cross and defense were working, and he scored an 11-0 whitewash. Still, the fight was oh so close! They traded heavy shots in the 7^th, but Kirk’s uppercut and crisp cross were more than a match for Snipes’ blazing hook, 16-12.

Mister Snipes came back in the 8^th to arguably take it, 8-6, landing one effective cross. He stymied a suddenly-tired Johnson in an 8-0 9^th, his crosses too quick for Johnson to block. Renaldo chose to cover up in the 10^th, and was booed lustily as he clinched repeatedly, frustrating Johnson in a 2-2 brain-killer!

Overall, he landed 79 each of his jabs & crosses, and 271 punches total, while Kirk only landed 141, but Johnson chose his spots. I had Snipes winning 96-95. The judges scored it 97-93, 96-94 & 96-94, a unanimous decision for…Renaldo “Mister” Snipes. Unanimous, yes. Overwhelming and dominating? No. Still, he has made the Sweet 16.

[mikehoudini]

Harry Thomas (1-0 1) vs. Simon Samil Sam (1-0) – Thomas had stopped Embrell Davidson on a TKO with 1 second left in their fight, while Samil Sam had bested Lance Whitaker. The Bull from Bosporos landed a crisp cross and hard hook to take the 1^st, 12-9, though Thomas made it close with a lightning hook. Harry seemed to have won the 2^nd, 8-6, on the strength of an uppercut that wobbled his foe’s legs. He hooked his way to a 9-6 3^rd.

Samil Sam rallied from a big deficit in the 4^th, after a left hook to the midriff almost dropped him. He came back with a big hook and hooked his way to a 15-11 round. He hurt Harry with a hook to open the 5^th, then sent him reeling into the ropes with a pile-driving uppercut! Harry covered up, but caught a fierce double hook. In the last minute, Thomas countered with a string of crosses, but he lost decisively, 17-9.

The Bull teed off with a wicked straight right in the 6^th, but Harry’s hook was working, and a blistering combination at round’s end may have won it for him, 11-9. I had the fight even through 6. Thomas was huffing and puffing as he came out for the 7^th. He picked his spots, landing a jarring cross and left, and then a solid hook, to win, 12-2.

They tried to take the round off in the 8^th, but instead their exchanges were lively, bringing the crowd to their feet! Samil Sam caught a whistling cross to start the festivities, answering with a sharp winging right. Hw fired a brutal right hook and led a wobbly Thomas at the 2 minute mark, 11-8. Harry showed his grit by connecting with 2 massive uppercuts and a series of hooks, the last staggering the Bull, who could barely stay upright as Thomas came back to decimate him, 25-11!

Samil Sam never recovered from those sledge hammer blows. Thomas battered him around the ring in a 19-6 9^th, but he refused to go down. He needed a miracle in the 10^th, but God was busy elsewhere, and Harry hit him hard with everything but the kitchen sink, dominating him, 22-7.

I had Thomas, who had outlanded his opponent 268-199, the winner, 97-93, as he outclassed Samil Sam from round 7 on. The judges scored it 98-92, 97-93 & 96-94, a unanimous decision for Harry Thomas! Samil Sam had been slammed.

[mikehoudini]

Just one more fight, and then the last chapter of the epic Rex Layne vs. Mike Weaver trilogy will take place!

[mikehoudini]

Serguei Lyakhovich (1-0 1) vs. DaVarryl Williamson (1-0) – They had each triumphed over Level 5 fighters in their first round matches. Williamson stunned the White Wolf with the first punch of the fight, and almost finished him off in a 21-2 1^st! Serguei was the aggressor in the 2^nd, but missed on most of his attempts, as Williamson was elusive, but connected enough for a 6-3 round. DaVarryl was more active in a 13-10 3^rd, but Serguei came back to take the 4^th, 10-2, a titanic cross causing Williamson to cover up.

DaVarryl rode two hard shots, a hook to the body and a laser cross, to a 14-6 5^th, giving him the lead at the halfway point. They traded punches in an active 6^th. Williamson’s uppercuts may have prevailed, 14-12, over Lyakhovich’s crosses. Serhuei looked exhausted in the 7^th, and Williamson capitalized, landing 54 times. His repeated jabs and combinations gave him a 26-6 round. Lyakhovich looked ready to go!

But Williamson was tiring after throwing all those punches, and Serguei had a brilliant closing minute in the 8^th, lashing out with a sharp left and uppercut, rallying for an 18-7 round! He landed two searing hooks and twice was warned in the 9^th, carrying him to a 16-7 round, and suddenly the fight was close again! They each landed one big punch in the 10^th, but Serguei’s was after DaVarryl had built up a nice lead, and it held up for an 11-7 round!

I had Williamson, who outlanded his opponent 251-210, as the winner by a 96-95 margin. The judges scored the fight 96-95, 97-93 & 96-94 for, the winner by a unanimous decision,…DaVarryl Williamson!

Layne-Weaver is next!

[mikehoudini]

Rex Layne (level 5) (5-3 3) vs. Mike Weaver (level 5 champion) (9-1 9) – This is the big one, the grudge match between these two brawlers. And possibly between Infinity and PWillisTheMan! Weaver had avenged his only loss via a 4^th round KO, but there was bad blood between these two. Weaver had TKOd Juan Carlos Gomez in 5, while Layne had eeked out a majority decision over Red – oops, Matt Skelton, to set up this showdown!

Weaver took the early lead, throwing a John Henry cross that shook Rex up. Rex found the range with some crosses of his own, but Hercules fired a straight right that turned Rex’s head! Rex blocked a hook and connected with a thunderous uppercut, and now Weaver was stopped in his tracks! Rex landed a few punches before the round expired, the round going as a 9-9 pick-em.

Layne opened the 2^nd with a crisp cross. Mike came back with a sonic hook. They traded blows, then Rex landed a lightning right. He followed up with a string of hooks, as Weaver was suddenly reachable. Mike shifted to address the hooks, and Layne nearly decked him with a deadly cross! The round ended, Rex ruling by a 17-9 score!

They were both cautious in the 3^rd, missing and clinching. Partway through the round, Weaver was cut over his left eye. It came as a result of an accidental head butt, and the claret was flowing, as it was a nasty gash. The ref halted the fight, but Doctor Hook allowed the fight to continue. Rex landed a few times as Weaver was having a hard time seeing. Frustrated, Hercules threw a giant uppercut that Rex walked into. The round ended, another pick-em one at 6-6, but the concern was Weaver’s eye!

Mike’s corner closed the cut, but he knew it could be reopened at any time. Rex raced in at the start of the 4^th, hoping to do just that. Instead, he was clocked by a freight train uppercut, and staggered backwards! Mike cautiously moved in for the kill, but a Layne cross reopened the cut, and it was ugly. The ref stopped the fight and, this time, the good doctor shook his head sadly as Weaver’s face was filled with frustration and dismay. The fight goes into the books as a technical draw!

Both fighters were dismayed, as they wanted a clearer end to their rubber match. Because of the severity of the cut, it’ll take some time, but they’ll go at each other before this round is concluded! It’ll be interesting to hear PWillis and Infinity’s comments on this one!

[SAL]

What a bummer way for the third fight to end.

Weaver by the way is getting pointers from Butterbean at the buffet table while his eye heals. I think he'll take care of Layne once and for all before round 2 is over.

[PWillisTheMan]

Damn, I was doing some hard sim/boozing last night and I missed the big fight. It's fairly obvious that Rex got lucky here. As I said I didn't catch it live, but from all credible papers, Weaver had won the first three rds and that was with the hindrance of a cut caused by an intentional headbutt.

Mike really should just move on in the tourney but Weaver will once again make rape on Layne in part IV , much like the mighty Ravens will destroy the lowly Patriots in a matter of hours.

[mikehoudini]

Originally Posted by PWillisTheMan

Damn, I was doing some hard sim/boozing last night and I missed the big fight. It's fairly obvious that Rex got lucky here. As I said I didn't catch it live, but from all credible papers, Weaver had won the first three rds and that was with the hindrance of a cut caused by an intentional headbutt.

Mike really should just move on in the tourney but Weaver will once again make rape on Layne in part IV , much like the mighty Ravens will destroy the lowly Patriots in a matter of hours.

Well, we gave them one hell of a battle. It took a dropped pass and a questionable call by the officials to beat us. The Ravens will be a force. The Binks, on the other had, may be a farce!

[mikehoudini]

Luan Krasniqi (1-0 1) vs. Nathan Mann (1-0 1) –Krasniqi had been losing to Nino Valdez before KOing him in the 9^th! Mann had stopped Fighting Bob Martin via a TKO on cuts in Round 8.

Luan was the Man in a brutal 1^st. He landed uppercuts & combinations at will, a savage combination almost flooring Mann at the end of the round, which went 21-5. Mann was more able to avoid punishment in the 2^nd, but still lost, 8-5. They exchanged leather in an exciting 3^rd. Krasniqi landed 30 times, but Mann was a dervish, his jabs & crosses automatic as he landed 49 times, taking the round, 15-11.

Luan rallied for a 12-4 4^th, his hooks and crosses effective. Mann may have taken the 5^th, 8-6, landing a shot to the body that hurt at round’s end. I had Krasniqi up 48-47 at this point. Mann landed the equalizer, a murderous combination, early in the 6^th, and Luan barely made it up at the count of 9. The Rottweiler resembled a Dachshund as he covered up, and Mann was now the Man, knocking him across the ring into the ropes with a right hook and stunning uppercut! The 20-0 pasting shifted the momentum, and Krasniqi was happy just to have survived the round!

Mann walloped Luan with a hook in the 7^th, But Krasniqi bounced back, clinching until his head cleared and then boxing his way to an 8-4 round. Kras had his cross landing in the 8^th, as Mann was suddenly tired. Luan had a huge lead, but then Nathan rallied in the last minute, cutting it to 13-8, and, more importantly, bringing about a nasty cut to the middle of Luan’s left eyebrow!

Krasniqi’s cut was still bleeding as he came out for the 9^th, and an aggressive Mann dropped him for a second time with a gnarly combination. He sprang up at the count of 5, covering up again, and escaped further damage, as Mann was overeager and his timing was off. Still, he took the round, 9-2, though he’d wished for a stoppage.

In the 10^th, Krasniqi battled back, landing a ferocious cross, and suddenly Mann’s nose was bloody, from a nasty break. He was in obvious pain, and the ref jumped in and halted the contest, awarding a TKO at 2:10 of the 10^th to Krasniqi as a result of the injury! Nathan, who had been leading 86-84 & 87-83 (2), begged to have the fight continued, to no avail. To the boos of the populace, the decision remained the same, and Krasniqi has dodged a second bullet. He’ll meet the winner of the Layne-Weaver quadrilogy, and can he dodge the salvos his opponent will be firing?

[mikehoudini]

George Godfrey (1-0 1) vs. Mike Evans (level 5 runnerup) (7-1 4) – Old Chocolate had starched Tony Galento on a 1^st round TKO, while Evans had narrowly advanced via a majority decision over Franz Botha. They were even in a dull 6-6 1^st, highlighted by Godfrey being warned for rabbit punching. George used his jab to pull away in a 12-7 2^nd, though Mighty Mike connected with a hard hook. Evans countered nicely in the last minute of the 3^rd to pull away, 16-6, a sharp combination sealing the round!

Evans built a nice lead in the 4^th, a cranium-crusher stunning George for a moment, but George rallied with a huge right hook to make it closer, 13-6. They went after each other hammer and tongs in the 5^th, Godfrey opening with a hook to the middle, Evans answering with a winging right! George’s jab was pumping frequently, and he rocked Evans with a hook and then staggered him at round’s end with a cross, winning 18-10. I had Evans no worse than 48-48 at the halfway mark.

Evans’ right eye had begun to swell, so he leaped out to start the 6^th, almost flooring Godfrey with a left hook downstairs followed by a searing straight right upstairs! George was cut under the left eye, and reduced to holding and hitting. The round ended, Evans up 14-6, but it could have been more.

George protected his eye, then lashed out with a hard cross. He followed this with a rapier-like jab and bruising cross, and now Mike’s eye was getting downright ugly! Godfrey peppered the eye with jabs, and only a last-second uppercut made it respectable, 16-7! George landed a quick jab to start the 8^th, and cut Evans over his right eye! He launched a searing cross, but Mike came back with a sweet uppercut. George moved around, using his jabs to set up a voracious combination, and Mike crashed to the canvas. He got to one knee at the count of 7, but just missed beating the count, and Godfrey was the winner by a KO at 2:17 of the 8^th in what had been a very close contest! Evans had acquitted himself well, but the ranks of the Level 5 fighters were shrinking.

[mikehoudini]

Vaughn Bean (1-0 1 1) vs. Bruce Woodcock (1-0 1) – Bean had stopped Larry Middleton on cuts in 6 after battling to a draw, while Bruce had demolished Duncan Dokiwari for a 4^th round TKO.

Bean timidly covered up immediately after being tagged by a laser hook. He lasted the round, losing 11-2, and then dropped a lackluster 5-2 2nd in which he was cautioned twice. He was warned in the 3^rd for leaning on the neck, Woodcock’s hard uppercut the highlight of a 4-4 snorer.

Round 4 had more action than the first 3 put together (which admittedly wasn’t much). After a probing first minute, Bruce went Boom, boom, boom, saluting the Black Eyes Peas with 3 slamming uppercuts. Bean was ready to drop, drop, drop, but he caught an onrushing Woodcock with a pile-driving uppercut of his own, staggering him! Bruce wound up and uncorked a winging right, which landed flush, and now Bean was holding on, literally, again, with a cut under his right eye! Woodcock took the donnybrook, 22-12, seemingly in command.

The 5^th was a min-4^th, as they traded punches, Bean rallying on the strength of a laser right to take it, 12-10. Woodcock rode a hard left and hook to a 12-6 6^th, and a straight right and hammering right to an 8-6 7^th. He was way up at this point.

Bruce opened the 8^th with a sizzling combination, catching the desperate Bean coming in! Vaughn stunned him with a right hook, followed by a sweet uppercut. Swarming, Bean landed a hook, scoring a flash 3 count KD! Woodcock wisely decided to cover, but the suddenly Killer-Bean pierced his defense with a rocket right. Bruce instinctively raised his hands, and Bean blasted him with a shot to the body. Bruce crumpled to the floor, but somehow was up, gasping, at the count of 9. The ref took one look and waved his hands. At 2:19 of the 8^th, with the points 18-6, Vaughn Bean was awarded a TKO!

The Woodcock corner was up in arms, as were the Woodcock fans, as their man had been leading 68-65, 70-64 (2). This was another semi-controversial ending for Bean, who has yet to truly impress.

[mikehoudini]

Ted Lowry (1-0) vs. Billy Daniels (1-0 1) - Tiger Ted had triumphed over Joe Baksi, while Daniels had KOd Herbie Hide in the 4^th. Billie connected on 10 crosses in the opener, one with some mustard on it, and took the round, 10-6. Little did anyone know it’d be 5 rounds before either fighter amassed 10 points again in a round.

The Reader’s Digest condensed version is that the next four rounds, went (Lowry first) 4-4, 8-4, 8-2 & 7-4. Oh, the excitement! Oh, the clinches, misses, blocks, feints and ring movement (by this time, several fans had fainted)! Ted had his crosses & combinations working as he pitty-patted his way over a suddenly offensive-less Daniels.

Tiger Ted took the 6^th, 14-7, landing 48 times, none hard enough to hurt a fly, but he was keeping Billy at bay and making him miss. It was 11-5 in the 7^th, Daniels continuing to miss, and Ted amassing a nice lead with his solid defense!

Daniels, going for broke, rallied to take the 8^th, 11-8, landing a crisp cross, and then he brought both of his remaining awake fans to their feet with a hard hook and cross in an 11-2 9^th! Still, he couldn’t get a much-needed KD, as Ted slipped well. The 10^th was vintage Lowry, as he covered up and clinched and rode out an exciting 4-4 frame!

The fans were roaring, make that snoring! Lowry had outlanded his foe, 243-162. The judges scored this ballerina 97-94 Lowry, 97-95 Daniels, and, 96-95 for, the winner by a split decision,…Tiger Ted Lowry! The author went to bed! There will be no rematch.

[mikehoudini]

Joe Mesi (1-0 1) vs. Phil Jackson (1-0 1) – Mesi had stopped Natie Brown on a 7^th round TKO, while Jackson had got a 4^th round TKO on cuts against Leroy Jones. Mesi dropped Jackson with a savage combination just seconds after stunning him with a big hook. Phil was up at a 3 count, covering up, and Joe just pounded him, sending him reeling like a drunken sailor with a straight right and a laser right! The bell sounded, saving Jackson, who absorbed a 24-0 thrashing!

Jackson bounced back in the 2^nd, his cross working well, as he trade punches with Mesi. Joe landed a monster uppercut, then another hard uppercut, and led after 2 minutes. Joe’s hook was finding the range, but Jackson rallied in the last minute to almost close the gap in a pick-em round, 15-14. He used a low blow to take some of the wind out of the sails of Mesi. On the debit side, his left eye was swelling badly by round’s end.

Round 3 was like 2 navies squaring off in an epic battle, exchanging salvos! Joe was active early, building up a lead. Phil rocked him with a hard cross, but Mesi roared back with a hook, taking a 12-6 lead at the 2 minute mark. Phil’s eye was now a mess, and he was staggering from a solid cranium-crusher. Fighting back on the strength of some good hooks, he landed a punishing combination, which might not have been before the bell, and Joe, stunned, dropped like an anchor! He struggled mightily, but had been torpedoed, and Phil Jackson was the winner by a KO at 3:00 of the 3^rd! There will have to be a rematch here, as Mesi was staging a great, crowd-pleasing fight. Alas, at the end, it was trim the sails, poop the deck, baby Joe goes home!

[mikehoudini]

Francesco Damiani (1-0) vs. James Braddock (1-0) - Damiani had outpointed Jess Willard, and Braddock had done the same over a game Tex Cobb. This was a battle of two defensive artists. After a 6-6 1^st, Braddock found the range with his crosses in the 2^nd, taking it, 10-2. Damiani had a great last minute in the 3^rd, a laser left hurting Jim at the end of a 13-6 round. Braddock used his uppercut to take the 4^th, 10-8, then used it and other punches to overcome a hard combination in a 10-6 5^th.

Braddock rallied to arguably take the 6^th, 9-8, though he shook his hand as if it was hurt. His left eye, which had been swelling in Round 4, was now worse. Damiani took advantage of the possible injury to Braddock, jabbing nicely and landing a sharp uppercut in an 11-4 7^th, in which Jim’s eye was getting worse.

Francesco rocked Jim with a hard right and later with a sweet uppercut, going all out for the KO. These power shots won him the 8^th, 10-6. He attacked again in the 9^th, and a wicked left hook to the body set the tone in a 9-0 whitewash! Suddenly, a fight in which Braddock had been seemingly leading was close! How bad was the injury to Braddock’s hand?

The Cinderella Man rallied in the 10^th, turning it on in the last minute to pull away, 8-4. He had outlanded Damiani, 204-185, but this was a close one! I had it 96-96, a draw! The judges scored it 96-95 (2) & 96-94, a unanimous decision for…Francesco Damiani! Braddock was crestfallen as his clock struck midnight, but he was gracious to his foe, not admitting to any injury. His class was applauded, but Infinity was crestfallen!