Thanksgiving Tournament of the Turkeys

[mikehoudini]

Originally Posted by SAL

I agree. This has been a fun tournament to watch and see how it unfolded.

Also I'm glad to hear that there has been a Butterbean siting.

I am happy that you guys have enjoyed it. It's taken a bit longer than I hoped, but I've gotten into the fights and fighters and have watch each one after the 1st round. I've also benefited in learning about a lot of boxers.

I plan on keeping the Turkey universe alive and having more fights, to see who the better fighters are over a number of fights. I also plan to run some "What if" bouts, like what would have happened if Danny Wofford (or whomever, and most certainly Butterbean) hadn't lost. And I definitely will bring in Jukebox, Tarzan and others and pit them against some of the noted gladiators, possibly giving them a chance at the champ via some sort of Diggstown elimination scheme.

It would take no arm-twisting for me to have a similar tournament with 2s and/or 3s! So I guess I'll do it! Again, I'm glad you have enjoyed it, as I do tend to get too wordy (duh), and worry that I have lost my audience.

Thanks to Bear and others, I think this universe will grow, and I hope to analyze and create some tomato cans of my own!

[SAL]

Originally Posted by mikehoudini

It would take no arm-twisting for me to have a similar tournament with 2s and/or 3s! So I guess I'll do it! Again, I'm glad you have enjoyed it, as I do tend to get too wordy (duh), and worry that I have lost my audience.

Do you have enough food left to feed the 2's and 3's?

I think whoever the biggest turkey is after the tournament, they should get an automatic bid into the 2's tournament if you have one.

[Thunder]

Don't skip the 1s!!

and who won this dang thing anyway?

[mikehoudini]

Originally Posted by SAL

Do you have enough food left to feed the 2's and 3's?

I think whoever the biggest turkey is after the tournament, they should get an automatic bid into the 2's tournament if you have one.

There should be enough food, as I've switched the locations for some of the rounds, though the northeast in general may have suffered a bit. The demand for turkey has driven the price up a bit. Things should ease, unless Butterbean and Danny Wofford keep getting invited to the next level tournament!

The champ guaranteed will move on to the next tournament, and maybe others!

[mikehoudini]

Originally Posted by Thunder

Don't skip the 1s!!

and who won this dang thing anyway?

My bad. It isn't over yet. We are down to the semifinals and the combatants are:

Charley Powell vs. Levi Forte
Bill Squires vs. Pedro Agosto

I've been a bit delayed making holiday travel plans (visits to 5 towns) and am trying today to get my Christmas cards out (a dismal task). But I'll wrap it up before Christmas, and get the bouts in for Jukebox Timebomb and other newly-added name fighters.

I may well pad out the 2s and/or 3s with some 1s, or I could just throw them all into the mix. I want to be close to the magic 32, 64, 128 or 256 numbers.

[mikehoudini]

I finished my first round of holiday traveling, as well as the semifinals!

Here are the results from Round 6, the semifinals, and we are now down to the two that will meet in the Championship! Like the last rounds, if you are just looking for the results, please skip to the next post!

This round was again conducted in MadisonSquareGarden, which was filled virtually to overflowing, possibly due to a double booking with an ice skating program. The best of the worst came out smoking, each determined to make it to the finals, and the two bouts had the fans on the edge of their seats!

Without further ado, on to the results:

Charley Powell vs. Levi Forte

Powell had started slow before KOing Lou Strydom in the quarterfinals, while Forte had benefited from the judges in getting a unanimous decision over Rudi Lubbers.

The fight started slowly, both feeling each other out. At the mid point of the opening round, Powell landed a crushing left hook. He kept applying the pressure, scoring with various punches, and Forte was fortunate to get on the board with a big hit near the end of the round. Powell outscored him 13-2.

The 2nd round was a repeat. Powell landed a few blows, then a big uppercut. While Levi fought back toward the end of the round, Charley won it 14-4 in terms of points.

Forte’s corner was worried after his slow start. He landed an uppercut which cut Powell outside the right eyebrow, but the cut didn’t appear to be serious. This was a lackluster round, with Powell outpointing Forte 6-5. Forte was happy that he was able to make Charley miss or block most of his punches.

Powell decided to fight on the inside in the 4th, and Levi began to find the range with a series of punches. He landed a sharp cross toward the end of the round, then a barrage of punches that floored Powell. The crowd was surprised when Charley couldn’t beat the count, so Levi’s lethal lightning won it for him at 2:20 of the 4th in a KO! Powell’s corner was surprised, as he had a nice lead up to that point, and had leaned more and heavier blows. But Levi, with his Lethal Lightning, will advance.

Bill Squires vs. Pedro Agosto

The second semi-final finale was a war from the get-go! Squires landed a huge hook seconds into the bout that staggered Pedro. He pressed his advantage, while Agosto clinched, but Bill got loose and decked Pedro for an 8 count in the last minute of the round! He tried to land the finishing blow, but couldn’t, yet still won a convincing 16-2 round!

Agosto fought from the outside in the 2nd, and slowly pulled away from Squires, outscoring him 15-7, winning several exchanges, but with neither fighter seriously hurting the other. Pedro was happy to have apparently shaken off the effects of the KD.

Pedro stayed on the outside in the 3rd, and landed an uppercut that jolted Squires. Again, Pedro won most exchanges, and had a convincing 19-4 round! At the end, Squires’ right eye was swelling a bit.

The 4th round was a crowd-pleaser. The fighters exchanged heavy blows early on and toward the end of the round, with Agosto landing first in each exchange. Squires showed his moxie in not backing down and his big hook at the end won it, or at least got his a tie, the points being 14-13!

Squires’ eye was more swollen, and Pedro attacked it in the 5th. Once again, they went back and forth, and the round was virtually even. At the end of the round Bill’s corner was concerned about the swelling.

The 6th saw Agosto attacking from the start, while bill again rallied at the end. Pedro outscored Squires 9-7, but it was too close a round to call!

Neither fighter could land much in the 7th, and then Agosto fired a punch that floored Squires. Bill made it to his knee at the count of 8, but couldn’t stand, and Agosto got the KO win at 2:03 of the 7th. It has been a close fight up until the knockout, with Agosto leading by 1 round on 2 of the 3 cards, with Squires ahead on the last card.

Squires couldn’t take advantage of his 1st round KD, but still fought a great tournament, and will remain a force to be reckoned with. And now its Pedro’s Power versus Levi’s Lethal Lightning for all the marbles!

[mikehoudini]

Semifinals Results:

Charley Powell vs. Levi Forte, Forte KO4

Bill Squires vs. Pedro Agosto, Agosto KO7

Pairings for Round 7, the championship:

Levi Forte vs. Pedro Agosto

As always, Danny Wofford, Butterbean, Mel Turnbow, Jukebox Timebomb and others are here, vying for position on the under-card, or the after-card. The Mohegan has stated that it has received an extra supply of food, and wants to host the aftercard!

[mikehoudini]

It seems fitting to make this post on Boxing Day, to celebrate the formal championship in the Tournament of the Turkeys, for all the marbles! The culmination of weeks of waiting (or, in Danny Wofford’s and Butterbean’s cases, weight-gaining)! Levi’s Lethal Lightning versus Pedro’s Power!

The championship was again conducted in MadisonSquareGarden, while the anticipated after card will shift back to the Mohegan! Both Forte and Agosto have made impressive runs to the finals. Forte did benefit from a slightly controversial decision over Rudi Lubbers, while Agosto drew in his first bout, then pounded his way to victory after victory!

The fight was well-attended, and broadcast over HBO Pay Per View! Most of the savvy fight fans favored Agosto (7-0-1 with 6 stoppages), as he left a trail of bodies as he pounded his way into the finals. Could Forte (6-0, 4 stoppages), fighting as a boxer, confound the big slugger? Agosto may have actually over-trained for the fight, hoping to keep his juggernaught (sp) string going, but his corner isn’t too worried.

Forte came out and unleashed a big hook 15 seconds into the fight, hurting Pedro. Agosto shook it off and delivered an even more powerful left hook of his own! The fans applauded this rousing start. Pedro tried to press his advantage, and was moderately successful, landing several more blows, and was ahead 9-6 at the 2 minute mark, when Levi uncorked an uppercut that staggered Pedro! Agosto covered up, but Forte was able to penetrate his defenses with a few blows, but couldn’t put him away. Still, he won 17-9.

The 2nd round started slowly, as each man was looking for an opening. At the 0:42 mark, Forte’s lethal lightning struck in the form of a crushing left hook, and Agosto almost went down!

Levi landed a few more punches, then unleashed an uppercut at the halfway point of the round, and Pedro was in even more trouble! Agosto, who believes that the best defense is a good offense, retaliated with a jolting cross, but Forte pressed on, landing more punches. He fired a big right hook at the 2:40 mark, and Pedro was staggered, but the round was near an end.

Levi fired a huge right cross at 2:53, and Pedro toppled to the canvas. The bell rang, but there was no being saved by the bell. As the crowd stared unbelievingly, Agosto was counted out! The man who had stormed through his competition had barely missed being able to beat the count! Forte leaped into the air, jubilant at winning the championship! He had outpointed Agosto 38-4 at the time of the KO.

A disappointed Agosto vowed to flatten as many level 1 and 2 fighters as necessary to get another chance at the title. Levi’s Lethal Lightning reigned supreme. The crowd was disappointed that the fight didn’t last longer, but agreed that the non-stop action was a welcome return to yesteryear.

Forte was reminded that, under the rules of the tournament, Mel Turnbow was to have a shot at him, while several promising newcomers such as Jukebox Timebomb and the Bonyongo Destroyer, who had both had visa problems, were promised bouts to test their mettle against seasoned veterans such as Danny Wofford and Tony Booth. Levi said “bring them on! I have stopped a tough customer in Pedro, and my Lethal Lightning should easily prevail over the likes of Turnbow and these Johhny-come-latelies!”

The after-card is destined to be back at the Mohegan, which won a spirited bidding war after laying in another supply of food, and Butterbean was trying to negotiate some sort of fight for himself. Stay tuned!

Forte and others will advance to the next tournament, and is hoping that the Title Bout gurus will see fit to rate him more appropriately (just a joke, guys). The Mohegan is calling, and Jukebox Timebomb reputedly is in top shape and vowing to make his presence known in his debut in the states!

[Lee]

This was fun to follow...Great job Houdini!

[SAL]

Great win for Levi!

Agree with Lee. This was a fun tournament. Can't wait to see what you have in store for us next.

Was Butterbean was trying to negotiate a fight for the ring or just a place in line at the buffet table?

[mikehoudini]

Originally Posted by SAL

Great win for Levi!

Agree with Lee. This was a fun tournament. Can't wait to see what you have in store for us next.

Was Butterbean was trying to negotiate a fight for the ring or just a place in line at the buffet table?

Thanks for the compliments, guys! I'm happy that I could keep your interest. Butterbean is negotiating for a fight inside the ring and, needless to say, for a buffet battle royale as well! Dangerous Danny Wofford may be his main competition in the latter, as he is in serious training!

[mikehoudini]

Levi Forte won the tournament, but there was a clamoring for Jukebox Timebomb, the Bonyongo Destroyer and others, all who encountered visa problems, to be allowed to fight. The people have spoken; it must be so!

So a 16 man tournament, filled with seven newcomers and nine fan favorites, has been announced and will be held in one day, ala Diggstown, with the winner to get a shot at either Levi or Mel Turnbow, since the original rules stipulated that Mel would get a shot at the champ!

Here are the 1st round Pairings:

Matthewshw Zulu vs. John Basil Johnson
Tony Booth vs, Tarzan Cuty Guy
Jukebox Timebomb vs. Mauriste Moses Zikalala
Mark Gastineau vs. Jimmy Thunder
Sam Shumway vs. Wild Mhere
Ed Too Tall Jones vs. Butterball, oops, Butterbean
Derek Amos vs. Bonyongo Destroyer
Danny Wofford vs. george Foreman Makachunga

This event was delayed, as I almost lost everything off my computer to some virus, but God and Norton worked wonders, and I'm back in business (whew)!

The Mohegan is ready, with plenty of food, and Levi will be studying the newcomers! Let's welcome the newcomers and see how they fare!

[SAL]

Tuff test for Butterbean right out of the gate but I expect him to TKO Too Tall's knee-caps in 3.

[mikehoudini]

Originally Posted by SAL

Tuff test for Butterbean right out of the gate but I expect him to TKO Too Tall's knee-caps in 3.

After his tough stoppage on cuts to Turnbow, I think Butterbean has to be licking his chops in anticipation of taking on Too Tall (and in getting another shot at the buffet)! I'll have the results out this afternoon.

[mikehoudini]

The Mohegan was the scene for the after-card of the Tournament of the Turkeys. The initial pairings were as follows:

Matthewshw Zulu vs. John Basil Johnson
Tony Booth vs, Tarzan City Guy
Jukebox Timebomb vs. Mauriste Moses Zikalala
Mark Gastineau vs. Jimmy Thunder
Sam Shumway vs. Wild Mhere
Ed Too Tall Jones vs. Butterbean
Derek Amos vs. Bonyongo Destroyer
Danny Wofford vs. George Foreman Makachunga

I’d hoped to match each newcomer against an old pro, but the scheduler didn’t quite cooperate with me. It was evident why some of these guys are rated 1 or less, yet there were spirited contests as well. The first round results follow:

Matthewshw Zulu vs. John Basil Johnson – This was a dull affair, truly a preliminary, as Johnson stayed away and fired his jab over and over, while Zulu tried to figure out how to pentrate through that lethal (?) weapon! The total points scored were a whopping 39-26, advantage to John Basil. Neither fighter could garner even 10 points in a round.

Jackson won a lackluster 77-75, 75-77, 77-75 split decision. I had it 79-76 for Jackson, who landed 115 jabs out of his 134 scoring punches, while Zulu, confused by the piston-like jabs, could only land 81 times. There were better shoving matches in the buffet line!

Tony Booth vs, Tarzan City Guy – This fight was better. Tarzan showed no fear of Tony and landed early, but Tony came back to take an 8-6 opening round. Rounds 2 & 3 were more pronounced, with scores od 13-9 & 14-7, both for Booth. Tarzan landed a big right in the 2nd, but Tony avoided other damage. Tarzan lost a point in the 3rd for repeated low blows.

Booth won a quiet 4th, then Tarzan found a sense of urgency and stormed back to win the 5th & 6th, 10-6 & 16-8! He started smartly in the 7th, but the old pro Tony scored in a flurry near the end of the 9-8 round. Tarzan refused to quit, but Tony evaded most of his punches in the 8th, escaping with a 78-73, 75-76, 77-74 split decision (I had it 77-75). Tarzan’s late charge made a good impression on the fans, and he’ll get more bouts.

Jukebox Timebomb vs. Mauriste Moses Zikalala – Things heated up more for this bout, and Jukebox was surprised by the vocal support from the crowd. They traded the first 4 rounds, but Zikalala lost a point in the 3rd for a second warning about rabbit punches. Moses almost showed Jukebox the promised land in the 5th, pounding home a huge hook at the end of the round that left Jukebox without a tune. He weathered the round, but was outscored 21-8.

Jukebox rallied to win the 6th & 7th rounds convincingly, by 12-5 & 17-9 margins, using his punches to play his tunes on Zikalala’s body! Ahead on my card at this point, Jukebox just needed to stay away to win, but Moses pasted him for a 9 count KD at the midway point of the 8th. That swayed the judges, who scored it 76-74, 75-75, 77-73, a majority decision for Zilalala! I had it a 75-75 draw. Jukebox landed more frequently and deserved better. No doubt he’ll be getting some more bouts!


Mark Gastineau vs. Jimmy Thunder – These old veterans staged a war! Gastineau scored a 9 count KD at the end of the opening round, but Thunder fought back, winning the next 2 rounds handily. Gastineau landed a big hook and an uppercut in the 4th, then punished Jimmy in the 5th.

Jimmy fired back with some thunder of his own in the 6th & 7th, landing big hooks and crosses to hurt Gastineau. He was even for the fight on everyone’s scorecard, and leading in the 8th, when he was pancaked by a Gastineau cross and counted out at the 2:33 mark of the final round!


Sam Shumway vs. Wild Mhere – Mhere looked good, landing all his punches in the opening stanza. He eased up a bit before the bell, and Shumway clocked him with an uppercut as the bell sounded! Wild was unable to get back on his feet and Sam was the victor by a KO! Some felt that Shumway’s blow started after the bell, but he did just beat it, and knocked the wild out of Mhere!

Ed Too Tall Jones vs. Butterbean – Butterbean was hungry, and stinging from his defeat at the hands of Mel Turnbow, so he was out for revenge, and landed a 3 count and then a 2 count KD in round 1, winning it 10-7! He also picked up the first of 5 warnings.

Rubber-legged at the end of the round, Too Tall kept Butterbean at bay and actually won the next 3 rounds, landing some decent punches while Butterbean resorted to fouling him!

Ed’s kneecaps were too inviting a target, and Butterbean scored a 6 count KD in the 5th with a big cross, then got an 8 count one in the 7th, again with a cross!

Jones had no quit in him as he won a big 6th round despite having a major cut. He had Butter’s eye swollen pretty badly as the action for the 8th commenced, but couldn’t take advantage of it. Butterbean notched a 77-72, 77-71 & 76-73 (my read) unanimous decision, as Too Tall couldn’t overcome the 4 KDs! The fans cheered both valiant fighters!

Derek Amos vs. Bonyongo Destroyer – The Bonyongo Destroyer looked menacing, while Derek (D-mos) Amoswas anxious to rebound from his close loss to Mel Turnbow! Sizing the Destroyer up, he threw a punch at the 0:16 mark, and the Destroyer went down like he’d been hit with a dozen torpedoes! Game, set, match and KO to Amos in the quickest KO I’ve had!


Danny Wofford vs. George Foreman Makachunga – Smarting from his defeat in the tournament proper, Dangerous Danny came out smoking! He peppered George’s face with punches, and avoided most thrown by the burly Makachunga en route to a 14-7 margin in the 1st round. The 2nd round was a snorer, as both guys clinched and Danny showed how well a slim 295 pound man could dance! He outscored George 4-0, while the fans snored.

Danny picked up the pace after that, confounding George with his boxing skills in the 3rd through 5th rounds. He far outclassed and frustrated George, by scores of 14-4, 9-3 and 14-8! George outpointed him in the 6th, 8-6, narrowly averting a shutout in my opinion.

Danny cannily stayed away in the 7th and 8th, and won the low-scoring 7th 6-4, while both notched 4 points in the 8th. I had it 79-74, a clear and convincing win for the oft-maligned slugger! One judge agreed with me to the letter, while the other two, from South Africa, scored the fight 77-76 Makachunga, who won a very disputed split decision! Those judges must have been part of the Jukebox party that had arrived too late for the main tournament, and the crowd booed the decision.

Danny was distraught, distressed and dismayed at this “home” judging, the second time he’d lost when it appeared he’d won! He stormed out of the ring in anger, but tournament officials guided him toward the buffet, where they explained, between swallows, that Danny would get another opportunity. Somewhat mollified, Danny tore into the buffet, vowing to be back at 300 or more for the promised payday! Makachunga bowed to the crowd as he departed to a loud cacophony of jeers! Oh, the fight game!


So two of the new imports survived until the 2nd round, while Jukebox Timebomb and Tarzan City Guy fought well enough to earn additional paydays! Wild Mhere and the Bonyongo Destroyer did the best in terms of dollars earned per second in the ring! Round 2, the Quarterfinals of this one-day tournament, is coming up, and the fans are clamoring for Danny!

[mikehoudini]

Sorry for the delay in posts. A virus infected my computer, and it took several attempts before I could remove it (at least I think I have). The computer was running very slowly and restarting at random. In any event, hopefully that’s behind me. The second round at the Mohegan started just a short time after the opening round ended. While the newcomers didn’t fare too well in Round 1, several were still active, and there was a clamoring for another bout for crowd favorite Jukebox Timebomb.


John Basil Jackson vs. Tony Booth – Both had won their initial fights via the split decision route. The crowd seemed to be favoring Booth, as some of his British fan base had made the trip to take advantage of the dollar, and Jackson’s win had been a lackluster event at best with little action!

Jackson used his usual weapon the jab, landing it enough to get an 8-4 scoring in round 1, and a 10-5 one in round 2. Tony stormed out in the 3rd, cutting Jackson, but it didn’t change Jackson’s tactics. He landed a rapier-like jab, and Tony bled from a cut to his left eyebrow. The bout was halted, and then stopped, while Booth’s corner complained that they could have easily stopped the cut. The complaints fell on deaf ears, and Jackson was declared the winner by a TKO at 2:15 of the 3rd, because of the cut! Booth shrugged and said he’d stay state-side for a bit for some more bouts, as he has a family to support.

Mauriste Moses Zikalala vs. Mark Gastineau – This fight had a lot more action than the prior one. Then again, any fight after a Jackson fight would seem to qualify as more exciting! Zik had recorded an unpopular majority decision over Jukebox Timebomb, while Gastineau had KOd a game Jimmy Thunder.

Gastineau landed a decimating low blow to begin the action, and had a point taken away! Mauriste weathered that blow, and the round was even until Gastineau went higher for an 8 count KD in the last minute! He pressed his advantage in the 2nd, but Zikalala ducked his punches, recovered, and outscored him 10-6.

The two traded rounds in the 3rd & 4th, Gastineau landing an uppercut and a wicked combo in the 3rd for a 15-4 advantage, then rallying in the end of the 4th, but coming up short, 12-9!

The 5th was all Mark, as he got a 9-0 shutout. The 6th was a war. Zikalala landed his best punches of the day, a cross and a hook that cut Gastineau on the left eyebrow. The fight was temporarily halted, then allowed to continue. Gastineau outscored Zik 17-13. The 7th was similar, as Zik reopened Mark’s cut for another halt, and outslugged him 12-11.

Gastineau came out throwing leather in the 8th, but Zik evaded his punches, then landed a stunning uppercut to the tender jaw of Gastineau, and it was all she wrote! Zikalala wins by a KO at 1:39 of the 8th! Gastineau had been slightly ahead, but it didn’t matter, and he started looking for a 3rd sport immediately after the fight!

Sam Shumway vs. Butterbean – Sam had stopped Wild Mhere in the 1st round, while Butterbean had been forced to go the distance to outpoint Too Tall but Not-Too-Good Jones!

Sam the Shum had a great opening stanza. He took several of Butterbean’s heavier punches, then decked the burly lad for an 8 count. Sam also cut Butterbean, and the 17-11 margin had him in good stead.

The 2nd round was dull, as Butterbean tried to evade Shumway. His dancing was comical, so he resorted to clinching, and Sam managed a 7-6 round with little opportunity to throw any real punches.

Hearing the boos, Butterbean changed tactics in the 3rd, and a wild left landed smack on Sam’s jaw, and he went down for the count. Butterbean won it with a KO at 1:17 of the 3rd, while Shumway sadly noted in his post-fight interview that you can’t afford to lose your concentration, even for an instant, when fighting such a noted opponent. Butterbean missed his interview, as he made a beeline for the buffet and sustenance!

Derek (D-mos) Amos vs. George Foreman Makachunga – Derek had decimated the Bonyongo Destroyer 16 seconds into their fight, while Big Mak had somehow got a split decision verdict against Danny Wofford, a blatant robbery brought on by the two South African judges, as Mak’s best weapon was pounding his nose against Danny’s glove!

There were no South African judges for this match, so Derek went in as the favorite. He scored well in the first half of the fight, winning the 3rd & 5th by big margins (16-5 & 14-0), getting a 14-12 advantage in the 1st round, and fighting to a 5-6 dead heat in the 2nd. Big Mak did win the 4th, 14-4.

After winning a quiet 6-2 6th round, D-mos rallied in both the next two frames, for 8-8 and 10-8 totals. He seemed well ahead to me, but Big Mak finally landed a devastating combination at the 2:53 mark of the 9th, and Derek fell as if pole-axed! He was able to get to his feet at the count of 9, but looked ready to fall!

Big Mak attacked in the 10th, while Derek danced, and he was quicker than the plodding Mak. It was a 2-2 round in which few punches landed, and it all came down to the judges’ scorecards! I had it 97-96 for Amos, who landed 228 punches, at a 42% rate, versus Mak’s 179 at a 21% efficiency.

The judges agreed with me, scoring the bout 96-94, 96-94 and 95-all for a majority decision for Amos! Big Mak lamented his inability to land more in the 10th, then headed to join Butterbean at the buffet!

[mikehoudini]

The semifinals commenced a few hours later, as the fighters had a little time to recuperate. Levi Forte was in attendance, scouting out his potential opponent.

John Basil Jackson vs. Mauriste Moses Zikalala - Jackson as usual attempted to keep this fight a defensive contest, using his Larry-Holmes-like jab to keep Zik as bay! Zik did land a crushing cross midway thru the 2nd, but Jackson weathered that punch and outscored him 23-17 over the first 5 rounds. Yes, rounds, as it was defensive and boring, with the fans snoring.

Sensing victory, John Basil kept a dancing and a jabbing, outpointing Zik 8-6, 8-2 & 10-6 over the 6th through 8th rounds, despite catching a big hook and uppercut from the Zik-ster! Zik then went all out for a KO, but Jackson jabbed him 12-5 in the 9th and 10-6 in the 10th. I had the fight 99-93 Jackson, and the judges all went his way for an easy decision. He landed 227 punches (194 jabs) at a 66% efficiency level, while Zikalala only landed 100, at a poor 10% efficiency level! Jabba Jackson advanced to the finals!

Butterbean vs. Derek (D-mos) Amos – Butterbean, at 3-1, vowed to stomp on Amos, who came in 4-1. Amos laughed and told him to bring it on! He did!

Butterbean landed a big cross to start the fight, then another just before the round closed to take a 10-6 advantage in round 1! He landed a huge punch midway through the 2nd, but was peppered before and after by Amos, who had a decisive 23-5 advantage.

Eschewing strategy, Butterbean hammered Derek with a cross that staggered Amos at the start of the 3rd, then couldn’t touch him the rest of the round, but still won 5-0. Amos stood still in the 4th, and Butterbean pounded him 16-4. Things were looking bleak for Amos in the 5th, as he trailed 7-0 for the first 2 minutes of that round.

But Derek wouldn’t give up, and changed his strategy, rallying for 8 points in the closing seconds on the 5th! He cut Eric in the 6th, en route to a 10-0 whitewash! He outboxed Butterbean in the 7th, though a last-second cross reduced his advantage to 12-6. Butterbean went for a KO in the 8th, but again Amos tattooed him for a 9-3 margin!

Butterbean’s bulling in tactics paid off in the 9th, as he landed a devastating hook, and smelled victory – or the buffet! Derek rallied at the end, losing by a 13-10 margin! The crowd was roaring as the fighters came out for the 10th. Butterbean looked tired, and Amos took advantage, firing off body shots as he outscored him 8-0 in a round that I eflt Butterbean absolutely needed!

I scored the fight 96-94, Amos winning, and all 3 judges agreed. He landed 258 punches, at a 48% rate, to Butterbean’s 135 (16%). While Butterbean landed the heavier blows, he also looked the worse for wear, as Amos had pounded away until one of his eyes was swollen. Did Butterbean just run out of gas after the 9th, or was his mind on the buffet? Only he knows, and now he won’t have to be disturbed from the buffet by another fight!

So it's John Basil Jackson versus Derek Amos, the winner to take on the champion, Levi Forte!

[mikehoudini]

The finals pitted John Basil Jackson, very much a surprise candidate, versus Derek Amos. At 5-1, Derek’s only loss had come at the hands of the capable Mel Turnbow in the big tournament. I know this is hard to believe, considering Jackson's style and track record, but this was a defensive fight from the get-go!

Jabba Jackson traded jabs with Amos in the 1st, but Derek unloaded a big cross at the end of the round for a 10-6 score. Jabba was active in the 2nd, notching a 10-2 round as his jabs kept Amos from getting inside.

For the next 6 rounds, Jabba kept jabbing, but was slightly outpointed each round, as Amos took what was available and outboxed Jabba. Jackson shocked all by going for a KO in the 9th, and landed a big hook that brought the crowd to their feet and almost landed Amos on his back! But Jackson lacked the firepower to put Derek away, and the 10th was a repetition of the other rounds.

I had Amos the winner by a 98-92 count. The judges scored it 99-92, 95-97 and 99-93 for a split decision victory for Amos, who won this mini-tournament! I don’t know which fight Judge 2 saw. Amos landed more, 174-155, at a higher efficiency rate, 42-23% and landed the more-telling punches. Jackson did land 25 punches that weren’t jabs!

Levi Forte, the champion, agreed to meet Amos, and Mel Turnbow was magnanimous, postponing his promised title shot against Levi. In order to stay tuned, he agreed to fight Jackson before the Forte-Amos match, again with the proviso that he would take on the winner of the Forte-Amos bout regardless of how he fared against Jabba! Also clamoring for action were Danny Wofford and Jukebox Timebomb!

The fights will commence in a few hours Mohegan time, hopefully within 24 hours Mike time!

[bear]

Shumway is still being Shumway, I see.

Bear

[mikehoudini]

Originally Posted by bear

Shumway is still being Shumway, I see.

Bear

Maybe he should be nicknamed Sam the Bammed, which is akin to Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs?