Thanksgiving Tournament of the Turkeys

[mikehoudini]

The fifth and sixth fights of the Sweet Sixteen have been completed. Eddie Gregg, an upstart from the level 1 fighters, came in 7-1-1 against Larry Alexander, and then China Smith, the Florida Wonder, fought Lee Oma.

Eddie Gregg vs. Larry Alexander – Both had clobbered their previous opponents, Gregg wiping out Joey Guy and Alexander disposing of Bombadier Billy Wells. They didn’t disappoint in this war, either, going toe to toe for a slugfest that roused the fight crowd!

Gregg won the opening round, 19-11, connecting for a solid hook and bone-jarring uppercut to offset a straight right from Alexander! Gregg jolted Larry’s head with a jab, but Larry came back with a series of blows, winning, 15-11. Alexander dominated the 3rd, 24-4, raining punches on Gregg, who could only answer with one power cross but was otherwise eating leather and staggering around the ring!

Both men rested in the 4th, which went 2-2, as they couldn’t keep up the frenetic pace they’d set earlier. Gregg in particular was fatigued. The rest did him good, as he stormed back in the 5th, 16-8, rocking Alexander with two uppercuts, though Larry kept him at bay by delivering a big straight right!

Alexander put on a clinic in the 6th, making Gregg miss and countering well, for a 14-0 whitewash! Eddie stormed back, winning the 7th & 8th, 14-4 & 10-6. He landed all the power punches in these rounds, and only a last minute rally by Alexander kept the 8th respectable!

Alexander fought well in the 9th, neutralizing Gregg’s power and hammering him with a hook at the end of the round, winning 14-6. He then shut Gregg out, 8-0, in the 10th, as Gregg was obviously tired, possibly being unused to 10 round fights, being a level 1 scrapper!

I had Alexander winning 96-94, with the last two rounds pivotal. The judges all went 95-95, a draw! So these two would have to duke it out again, which didn’t upset the crowd!

In the rematch, Gregg started with a smashing hook, but Alexander countered at the end of the round with a crushing combination, taking it, 10-7. Alexander was losing in the 2nd, but floored Gregg late in the round with another combination. Eddie got to his knees at the count of 8, but fell back and was counted out, Alexander the winner by a KO at 2:30 of the 2nd! Eddie was stunned once he regained his feet, ready to go, but his only chance will be in post tournament challenges.

As a side note, it was the second fight he’s had where both fighters had legitimate first names as their surnames!

China Smith vs. Lee Oma – China had stopped Primo Carnera in a rock-em, sock-em fight, while Oma had methodically stopped Frank Slavin. Could China’s huge fan contingent, up from Florida, carry the day again?

The opening rounds was a feeling-out won, 6-4, with Oma landing the only power punch, a straight right. China opened the 2nd with a smashing uppercut, but Oma countered with a big left, and then had a point deducted for a low blow that many felt wasn’t low! He did outscore Smith, 15-7, and rallied to do the same in the 3rd, 8-6.

The 4th & 5th were classic Smith rounds! In the 4th, he was decked for a 2 count, and then for a 3 count as time expired. It was 26-3, Oma! It was no quarter asked, no quarter given in the 5th, China landing a booming uppercut and then a hook, and topping it off by decking Oma, who had come into the round seeking to end the fight, for a 1 count at the end of the round, which went 21-15, Smith!

These warriors traded salvos in the 6th, with China landing a big uppercut and hook sandwiched arounfd a eye-popping right from Oma. China outscored him, 10-7, and came back with a flurry in the 7th for an 11-7 margin.

The crowd leapt to its feet in the 8th, as China relentlessly continued his comeback, cutting Lee over the right eye, causing the bout to be halted temporarily, and getting the nod, 10-6. China was exhausted from the four round effort he had made, and couldn’t connect in the 9th, losing 4-0. he was just missing, and Oma was clever in moving around the ring and clinching.

The crowd on its feet, Oma started the 10th by finding the range with a solid combination, then the two traded back and forth. China staggered Oma with a jaw-numbing uppercut, and the round ended 11-9, Oma with the 11 in a round that was a pick em round!

Because of the 9th & 10th, I had it 94-92 Oma, despite Smith’s valiant comeback from oblivion! The judges went 93-92, 94-93 & 95-92, a unanimous decision for…Lee Oma! The fans cheered both men. It was a shame that either had to lose, and China left the ring to a standing ovation. No doubt he’ll be back once the tournament proper is concluded!

So there are just 2 bouts to go in this Sweet Sixteen round, Przemslaw Saleta versus.Steffen Tangstad and then Jose Urtain taking on the One Man Destruction Machine, the Terminator, Dangerous Danny Wofford!

[mikehoudini]

My bad. I left the results of the last 2 fights of the Sweet Sixteen round at home, bud did have one log, so I can reconstruct that fight.

Jose Urtain vs. Dangerous Danny Wofford – Jose came in 2-0-1, while Danny was 2-4-1, all of his losses and his draw being against level 1 fighters.

Urtain came ringside first, then listened in disbelief as Wofford marched down the aisle to the strains of that Broadway hit “To Dream the Impossible Dream; To Fight the Unbeatable Foe!” The crowd was solidly behind Danny, as his entourage, Jukebox Timebomb and George Foreman Makachunga, parted the ropes for his entry into the ring. Could he continue his improbable advance in this tourney? The odds were way against him!

In the first 30 seconds of the fight, Danny muscled inside and landed a crushing uppercut, and Urtain had to grab the ropes to keep his jelly-like legs stable! So much for the consensus that Danny had no punch! Jose came back with several punches, but Danny avoided all major attempts, while peppering Jose with jabs, winning easily, 14-6!

Danny fired a hook to the midriff to start the 2nd, then was shocked when the ref deducted a point for a mythical low blow! Urtain took advantage of Danny’s temporary lack of concentration and pasted him with a huge hook, rocking Danny back on his heels. Jose pressed in for the kill, and was met by a series of jabs, crosses and hooks, as Danny tattooed him for a 14-5 round!

Jose landed a hook to start the 3rd, but Danny bounced back, hitting Urtain with jabs and hooks, ducking when needed and ensuring that all of Jose’s punches missed or were blocked. The score for this round was 12-2, and the fans began to sense an upset in the making!

Jose silenced them with a hammering hook to start the 4th, and many felt that Wofford would soon topple, but the plucky lad used his Ali-like jab (well, at least they both throw it with their left hands) and occasional hooks in an excellent display of boxing, winning 10-4. The 5th was an even round, but Urtain connected with an uppercut and a hook, and then possibly a head butt, to take it, 11-6. At this point, I had it Wofford, no worse than 48-46!

Urtain’s confidence was on the upswing, but there was no quit in Wofford, and they traded blows in the 6th, Danny coming out on top, 11-8, with a counterpunch and a hook at the end of the round! Dangerous Danny controlled the 7th, throwing a variety of punches and notching another 10-4 stanza! By this point, Urtain was very frustrated by the effective defense put up by the 5’ 7” fire hydrant!

Jose knew he needed a KO, and came out firing in the 8th. Again, Danny’s defense was impenetrable, and the round went 6-5, to a chorus of boos at the lack of punches landing.

Urtain clobbered Danny early in the 9th with a smashing uppercut, and again the crowd was on edge, expecting a knockdown or worse! Instead, they were treated to another defensive display, as the trim 300 pound Wofford lost the round, 8-2, but kept danger at bay!

Jose came out banging in the 10th, while Danny the Dynamo went into his turtle-like cover up mode, and frustrated Urtain yet again while landing stinging jabs and the occasional hook, winning, 12-0!

The Impossible dream song was playing again as the verdict was announced. I had it 98-93 for Danny! The judges, who frequently see a different fight, scored it 99-92, 97-94 & 99-93, a unanimous decision for …Danny Wofford! Urtain was disconsolate in the post-fight interview, unable to explain how he landed on 15.4% of his punches. The Spaniard was gracious and praised the way Wofford had fought.

Danny, who had landed 58.8% of his punches, was ecstatic, and left to the theme from Rocky! He has made it to the Elite Eight! Can he go further?

[mikehoudini]

Here’s the bout I missed yesterday, the 7th one of the Sweet Sixteen round:

Przemslaw Saleta vs.Steffen Tangstad – They both were 2-0-1 coming in. Tangstad started nicely, finding the range with a variety of punches. Saleta rallied in the last minute, but lost, 11-6. He dominated the next 3 rounds, winning 20-6, 10-7 & 15-9. He was warned 3 times for various infractions, but his punches caused Steffen’s left eye to swell in the 2nd, and it got worse in the next 2 rounds.

Tangstad landed a huge uppercut that hurt Saleta at the end of the 4th, and followed with an overhand right in the 5th that carried the round, 13-5, but his eye was a real mess by the end of the 5th. The next 2 rounds were quiet, as he tried to protect his eye.

Well behind on points, Tangstad fought cleverly in the last 3 rounds, avoiding further swelling and somehow outpointing his opponent, 12-10, 6-4 & 10-8! I had him winning on the strength of those rounds, 96-95, but the judges called it a majority draw!

In the rematch, Tangstad opened with a stunning uppercut, and Saleta’s eye began to swell. Tangstad won, 15-3, then kept going after the eye in the 2nd, which he won, 8-4. Saleta won the 3rd, 12-8, but his eye was getting worse, and he resorted to fouling, which had worked for him in their first fight.

Tangstad started to pull away in the 4th, landing several heavy blows and winning the round, 17-4. By that time, Saleta’s eye was a mess, and he could barely see out of it. Fighting virtually one-eyed in the 5th, he was pasted by blow after blow. Tangstad unloaded with a series of a hook, uppercut and two crosses, all landing solidly. The referee stopped the fight at 2:08 of the 5th, Tangstad the winner by a TKO, as Saleta was reduced to being a punching bag. There was bad blood between these two, with both having suffered eye swelling, and it was complicated by Saleta’s penchant for fouling. A rematch could be in store!

With the previously-documented Wofford win, the Elite Eight is now complete!

[mikehoudini]

We are down to the Elite Eight, and two level 1 fighters are still alive, powerful Pedro Agosto and dazzling Danny Wofford! The match-ups for the quarterfinals are as follows:[/B]

Keith McKnight vs. Pedro Agosto
Jean-Pierre Coopman vs. Bill Tate
Larry Alexander vs. Lee Oma
Steffen Tangstad vs. Danny Wofford

I’m not sure if there is a clear-cut favorite, but Agosto has again hammered his way impressively through the ranks, though McKnight has shown good punching power as well! The sentimental fan favorite remains Danny Wofford. How he keeps winning is beyond me, but he does, and his fan base is growing. He hopes to pick up China Smith’s Florida contingent for his next fight, as well as that of fellow level 1 fighter Eddie Gregg. Uh oh, this is starting to sound like the presidential primaries!

Happy Friday!

[mikehoudini]

If you just want to see the results, skip to the Elite Eight Summary Results post!

The Elite Eight clashed in the Terrible Twos Tourney, and now only four remain! The excitement at Bally’s in Atlantic city was high when the warriors stepped into the ring! Could Pedro Agosto and time improbable one, Danny Wofford, continue their run in the level 2 tournament? The results follow:

Keith McKnight (3-0) vs. Pedro Agosto (10-1-1) – McKnight, the Fighting Knight, would present a challenge at 6 feet 6 inches for the smaller 6 foot Schoolboy. Still, Agosto had taken down giants like Jack O’Halloran, but McKnight had scored a lot of knockdowns to date. The fight crowd predicted this one wouldn’t go the distance!

Guest commentator Javier Flores.was excited when Agosto hammered McKnight with a massive hook! McKnight connected with an uppercut of his own, but Schoolboy won the round with a huge cross in the last seconds, 13-9. The fans were on their feet as the two traded heavy punches. Agosto won the 2nd as well, 13-6, with a series of hooks and uppercuts, though neither guy landed a telling punch! Pedro pounded the taller McKnight with an uppercut to start the 3rd. McKnight scored a big hook midway through the round, but Agosto’s swarming style carried this round as well, 13-9! Pedro was off to a great start!

McKnight made some adjustments between rounds, and took the winds out of Agosto’s sails in the 4th, landing bunches of hooks and crosses, culminating with a cross that put Pedro down for a 5 count. McKnight won the round, 18-0, and Agosto was in trouble! Agosto was warned twice in the 5th for holding and hitting (he’d been warned in the 3rd as well). He landed a jolting hook which would have stopped most boxers, but the Fighting Knight answered with one of his own, then put Pedro down for a second time with a straight right for a 7 count! Pedro’s great start was more than neutralized, and he barely hung on, losing, 19-9!

The battle of the sluggers (Keith came in with 8 knockdowns, while Pedro had 15, but had also been down 3 times) ended abruptly in the 6th, as McKnight landed a scorching blow to the midsection, and Pedro’s run to immortality ended as he was unable to beat the count! McKnight won on a KO at 1:01 of the 6th, but the crowd saluted Agosto, as the Schoolboy left to do a little more pugilistic studying! He vowed to be back, and no one doubts him on that score!

[mikehoudini]

Jean-Pierre Coopman (3-0-1) vs. Bill Tate (3-0) – Big Bill had been more impressive to date, as the Lion of Flanders had struggled some to reach this round. Tate seemed a little heavy coming into this fight, but was able to trade the opening 2 rounds the feeling out period for each fighter. Jean-Pierre used a series of jabs and uppercuts to neutralize Tate’s size in the 2nd, 13-8. The 3rd was all Tate, as he landed a string of combination, interspersed with crosses, that dazed the brave lion, 23-4!

Coopman stormed back, easily winning the 4th, 12-4, on jabs, taking the 5th, 11-6, and then firing off a bunch of hooks to take a close 6th, 8-6! Tate needed a rally, and he stormed back, trading vicious combinations with Coopman, landing more punches in a 14-10 7th! He stayed with the combinations in the 8th, winning 14-6, despite the lion’s landing a big hook!

The 9th was an exciting round. Tate led until Coopman rallied in the last minute, a big uppercut capping a close 13-11 round! Maybe Bill’s conditioning was taking its toll? The 10th was dull, with tate tired and Jean-Pierre covering up, for a 2-2 round. I had the fight even, 95 all. The judges scored the bout 97-93, 95-94 & 95-94, the winner by a unanimous decision…Bill Tate! He did land more punches, 283 to 232, with 90 being combinations, but I didn’t see it, and many fans agreed. I’m not sure what fight the 1st judge saw! In any event, Tate advanced to the Final Four, and, in the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight!

[mikehoudini]

Larry Alexander (3-0-1) vs. Lee Oma (3-0) – Oma set the tone in the first when he decked Larry for an 8 count on a crisp cross! Lee won the round, 23-0, and Alexander was fortunate that the fight wasn’t stopped! Oma boxed cleverly in the 2nd, using jabs and ctosses to start Larry’s left eye to swell up. Oma won 12-5, and the swelling only got worse and worse during the fight!

The 3rd was a quiet round, Oma winning, 4-2, and Alexander started carrying his hands very low. He landed a big combination to halve the 4th, 9-9, but the swelling was getting bad and his hands were again low. Alexander landed a huge right in the 5th, which he won, 11-8, but Oma rallied at the end and larry was obviously tired and having trouble seeing.

The 6th through 8th were all Oma, 8-5, 18-7 & 8-0, as his jabs took their toll, and Larry’s eye was a mess! Desperate, Alexander landed a monster right and then a big hok, but Oma evaded further damage, losing 15-2. Oma jabbed effectively against the one-eyed Larry in the 10th. Larry countered with 2 big hooks, and the round was virtually even 12-11 Oma. I had Oma the clear winner, 98-92, while the judges had it 96-93, 95-95 and 96-93, the winner by a majority decision…Lee Oma! Lee boxed very effectively and the results showed on Alexander’s face and eye!

[mikehoudini]

Steffen Tangstad (3-0-2) vs. Dangerous Danny Wofford (3-4-1) – The fan favorite Danny, the Man of La Muncha, hoped to keep his improbable string going against a man who’d had to battle through 2 draws to advance this far! The opening round was quiet, as Danny jabbed and clinched his way to a lead, which evaporated in the final seconds as Tangstad tagged him with a heavy hook, good for a 6-4 advantage!

Undeterred, Danny connected with a series of jabs, winning the 2nd, 11-8, then narrowly taking the 3rd, 6-4! His left eye was beginning to swell, and Steffen kept after it the rest of the fight! Tangstad rallied in the last half-minute to take the 4th, 10-6, and Danny’s eye was noticeably worse. Wofford fired off jabs and hooks in the 5th, blinking off a big cross in posting a big round, 14-8, but his swelling increased even more!

A determined dynamo, albeit a 300 pund one, Danny’s jabs again were the difference in the 6th, 8-4, and yet another upset may have been in the making! Tangstad took the 7th easily, 13-7, with a series of hooks and crosses, and Danny’s eye was now almost shut! Wofford battled on heroically, splitting the 8th, 8-8, and still had the lead on my card!

Tangstad went for broke in the 9th, connecting for a massive uppercut and a big right against the courageous one-eyed Wofford! Tangstad won the round, 13-2, and it all came down to the 10th! Could Danny rally despite his swelling? Alas, Tangstad caught him with a punch Danny never saw, and he dropped to the canvas! He just missed beating the count, and Tangstad was declared the winner by a KO at 0:32 of the 10th! If only it had been an 8 round fight! Wofford landed significantly more punches, but his reduced vision caught him. The crowd cheered him in any event as he repaired to the buffet, and a rematch is all but guaranteed! On the strength of his performance, Tarzan City Guy and the Bonyongo destroyer have joined his ever-expanding (like his waistline) stable!

A mighty hero has fallen!

[mikehoudini]

The summary of the Elite Eight is as follows :

McKnight KO6 Agosto
Tate UD10 Coopman
Oma MD10 Alexander
Tangstad KO10 Wofford

The two remaining level 1 fighters have been eliminated, but they acquitted themselves well!

The pairings for the Final Four are as follows:

Keith McKnight vs. Bill Tate
Lee Oma vs. Steffen Tangstad

[mikehoudini]

The Final Four battled in the Terrible Twos Tourney, and here are the results:

Keith McKnight (4-0) vs. Bill Tate (4-0) – McKnight had ended the impressive run of Schoolboy Pedro Agosto, knocking him down twice before knocking him out in the 6th. Tate had narrowly squeezed by the Lion of Flanders, Jean-Pierre Coopman, to get here. In this Battle of the Giants, McKnight, at 6 feet 6 inches, had to look up a half inch at Big Bill!

Tate won the 1st, 11-6, boxing nicely and delivering a low blow that annoyed McKnight, who retaliated with a straight right at the end that jarred Bill! The 2nd and 3rd rounds were almost even, the points being 12-11 & 8-7, Tate. Tate employed the cross as his chief weapon, while McKnight favored hooks and uppercuts. Both rounds were full of action and too close to call!

McKnight connected for a big cross in the 4th, and got the nod, 14-11. Tate avoided Keith’s big bombs in the 5th & 6th, winning 12-6 & 13-7, as he mixed his punches well and had McKnight a bit frustrated.

The 7th & 8th were dead even, 8-8 & 10-10. McKnight landed the heavier blows, a big hook and a crushing combination, but Tate just shrugged them off and countered effectively. Tate was warned for holding and hitting in the 8th, a round I scored for McKnight. At this point, I had Tate up 78-77.

Tate stayed in a defensive mode in the 9th, but McKnight landed another solid hook and won a badly-needed round, 9-4. The 10th saw McKnight throwing everything he had at Tate, who was covering up. Tate’s strategy was effective, as he won, 8-2, absorbing almost no punishment while scoring nicely with counterpunches.

I had Tate the winner, 97-96, on the strength of that last round! The judges were more generous to Big Bill, who landed 273 punches (to 184), with 86 crosses, scoring the fight 97-94, 97-94 & 96-94, Big Bill Tate the winner by a unanimous decision! McKnight made a good run, scoring double digit knockdowns, but he couldn’t land enough big ones against the wily Tate, who advances to the finals. In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the Lion sleeps with the Knight!

Lee Oma (4-0) vs. Steffen Tangstad (4-0-2) – Oma had advanced to the Final Four based on clever boxing, taking Larry Alexander in his prior fight, having won 3 of his 4 fights by decision. Tangstad had battled the whirling dervish, Danny Wofford, in a pick-em fight, until he stopped Danny to start the final round, his 3rd stoppage of the tourney!

Tangstad fired off a big hook in the 1st, but Lee rallied to tie it, 6-6, despite being warned for rabbit punching. The two traded punches in a 9-8 Tangstad 2nd, then Oma stepped up. Employing mainly his jab and hook, he peppered Tangstad, 11-2, in the 3rd, then 14-4 in the 4th, his jab cutting Steffen above the right eyebrow in the 4th!

Zeroing in on the eye in the 5th, Oma reopened the cut, landing all jabs to win the round, 9-6, even tough Tangstad landed a flurry of punches in the last half minute! Oma fought cleverly again in the 6th, winning a low-scoring round, 6-2, but his punches caused a temporary halt as Tangstad’s cut was getting worse!

The 7th was a huge round for Oma, 20-9, but he had a point deducted for low blows. His jabs and crosses found their mark time after time! The fight ended in the 8th, as Tangstad’s cut worsened immediately and the ref stopped it at 0:29 of the 8th, Oma the winner by a TKO on cuts! He was well ahead on points at the time of the stoppage, landing 251 punches (150 jabs and crosses) to Tangstad’s 106. The Norwegian fought bravely, but Oma cut his eye into ribbons.

So It’s Bill Tate versus Lee Oma for the championship of the Terrible Twos Tourney. The winner is guaranteed an entry into the Thundering Threes Tourney, as may be some of the other Elite Twos! There is also some rumor that there may be a special two sports match, combining eating and boxing. The details haven’t been released, as it’s supposedly some super secret, but we will be ferreting out information and passing it along!

[Romdawg88]

Great to see Lee Oma continue to do well. I've put my full support behind him to win this tournament since he beat China Smith. I'm just glad that Smith was beaten by a member of my Muckboys and not someone else.

[mikehoudini]

64 fighters started. Now only 2 are left! Two men enter, one man leaves! It’s not Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome! Big Bill Tate and Lee Oma met for the Championship final in the Terrible Twos Tourney, the fight scheduled for 12 rounds. HBO broadcast the event as a free event, hoping to revive interest in the sport. There was a large crowd on hand for this fight and for the special event thought up by the promoters, which would take place after the main event!

Both men came in with unblemished marks, 5-0, Oma with 2 stoppages, Tate with 1. Tate had 7 ½ inches on Oma in height, and the crowd was wondering if Oma was going to be able to land his best weapon, the jab, against such a tall opponent, and one who prefers to box himself rather than slug it out. Tate had kept slugging Keith McKnight at bay with his right crosses, while Oma had conquered the likes of China Smith. Amazingly, China’s Florida fans had then switched allegiance and were backing Oma, and they were there at Bally’s and vocal!

The gong rang for the opening bell. Oma landed with a jab, but Tate countered with a cross of his own! Then Tate shocked everyone by catching Oma flush with a thundering hook! Lee backpedaled, landing a soft jab, but Tate rushed forward and connected with a crushing cross, and Oma was definitely hurt! Tate tried to follow up and land the big blow, but Oma blocked and covered up and landed a few jabs of his own, finishing the round on the short side of a 16-8 score.

Tate came out looking for blood in the 2nd, and Oma split his gloves with a resounding jab! Tate backed away and Oma, obviously recovered from the shots he took in the 1st, connected with a series of jabs and crosses, blocking everything Tate threw and winning the round handily, 12-0. What a difference from the 1st round!

The two boxed nicely in the 3rd, but Oma was landing more punches, particularly crosses, and he took the round on points, 9-6, but his right eye was beginning to swell, and Tate looked to take advantage of that.

The 4th was a seesaw round, with Oma surprising Bill with a solid combination and scoring a bit better to win, 12-8. I had it 39-37 Oma at this point.

The 5th was s snoozer round, Tate outscoring Lee, 6-2, with Lee being warned for an intentional head butt. Tate’s left eye began to swell, but it was in better shape than Oma’s right eye!

Oma beat Tate to the punch for almost all of the 6th, landing 22 jabs and dispelling any fears that he could reach the bigger man with his jabs! He landed a monster cross to end the round, and Tate was staggered. Oma won, 17-5. His right eye was worse, but Tate’s left eye had shown even more damage. Now Tate was going to have to protect his own eye or go after Oma’s. Who could deliver more punishment while avoiding it himself? At the midway point, I had the fight 58-56, Oma.

Oma drew first blood, figuratively, in the 7th, smashing Tate with a hook that caused Bill’s eye to close even more! They both fought well, but Oma landed more punches, winning 11-7.

Starting the 8th, Tate’s eye was a mess, and Oma tried to take advantage of the diminished vision. He started with a few jabs, then launched a jolting cross, and Bill’e eye swelled even more! Seizing the moment, Oma stepped forward and hammered home a combination, toppling Tate to the canvas! Tate was up at the count of 5, but Oma stepped inside and blasted him with a series of crisp punches. Tate took them all (63 that round so far), but Oma appealed to the ref to stop the butchery, and the ref agreed and stopped the fight, Oma the winner and champion with a TKO at 2:21 of the 8th!

The score of that round was 26-2 at the time of the stoppage. Lee Oma clearly dominated the fight, landing 285 punches (to Tate’s 139) at a 50% connection factor, with 92 of them being jabs and another 82 hooks! The way he was fighting, even Terrible Terry Tate, Office Linebacker, would have had a hard time getting to him. Tate acknowledged Lee’s boxing skills, and the two men hugged, both hoping for a spot in the next tourney! The fans cheered their sportsmanship and awaited the special match!

And they didn’t have long to wait, as the promoters entered the ring to announce their closely-held secret, that there would in fact be a two-sport match, combining boxing and speed eating! And that there would be two contests, that’ll be explained in the next post!

[mikehoudini]

This is a bit whimsical, so those who don't indulge in whimsy should skip this and the next post!

The championship fight was over, and the promoters were explaining the rules for the special event, which were simple. Three rounds of boxing, with heavier gloves, and only on one hand, interspersed with three rounds of speed eating. There could be no punching with the bare-knuckled hand or a disqualification would occur! A knockout in the ring or vomiting at the table or something egregious such as allowing one’s face to fall into the food would end the fight, otherwise the fight would be sent to the judges, who’d consider factors such as punches landed or missed, and quantities of food consumed.

As the tables were being set up, the contestants were announced and entered the ring. Representing the boxers was the contingent of Butterbean and Dangerous Danny Wofford, two veterans of the ring who had also displayed their trencherman capabilities in the Thanksgiving Tournament of the Turkeys. Representing the speed eaters were two formidable ones, Taheru Kobayashi and Sonya (the Black Widow) Thomas!

There was a moment of panic when Danny Wofford announced that he wouldn’t meet his scheduled opponent, Sonya Thomas, because, as he explained virtuously, it wouldn’t be right to hit a girl! This shocked the promoters, even as the fight crowd cheered Danny’s chivalry. The dilemma was solved when Butterbean announced that he didn’t know no Chivalry guy, but he’d have no qualms at taking on the babe! Sonja looked at him and smiled an evil smile, not exactly pleased at being referred to as a babe, and agreed to the switch!

A coin was flipped, and the Wofford-Kobayashi match was to take place first, and Sonya and Butterbean left the ring on opposite sides. Both contestants chose to wear the glove on their left hand. The bell rang and Danny advanced on Taheru, who kept moving to the side. Perhaps stayed by pity, or a desire to enjoy at least 1 round of speed eating, Danny allowed Kobayashi to dance away from him for most of the round, but did land a few gentle jabs that rung his bell!

At the table, a mound of hot dogs was placed before each contestant. Kobayashi ate at breakneck speed, while Danny, coming in at a trim 310 pounds spread over his chiseled 5 feet 7 inch frame, showed that he could eat as well, though Kobe consumed more. Danny looked longingly at the food table when the gong sounded, reluctant to leave!

The 2nd boxing round was more of the same, as Kobe tried a few punches, which Danny blocked, though he pretended to stagger back on one, or did he pretend? In any event, Danny cut off the ring, and softened his opponent up with a few nice hooks, then went upstairs for a few jabs. To his credit, Kobe kept his feet, though he was a little shaky on his feet, and lasted the round

The next round of food was Crystal burgers, and Danny set to with relish! Kobe was slowing down, as Danny’s hooks had taken their toll, and the two men ate away at an equal pace, Danny showing he was a natural at this sport!

In the 3rd ring round, Danny got serious. Moving well, he cut the ring off, and landed a series of hooks and jabs. Kobe, used to eating but not to being punched, went to the canvas twice, and the second time he was willing to take the full 10 count! After having his hand raised in victory, Danny went over and raised his opponent’s hand, saying they both were winners, and the crowd cheered his sportsmanship! Then he and Kobe retired to the food table, where they sat eating prodigious quantities of fried chicken while watching the second contest!

[mikehoudini]

Butterbean and Sonya entered the ring for the second contest, he with the glove on his right hand, she with it on her left. When the bell sounded, Butterbean swaggered forward confidently, expecting to end it with a one punch KO. Sonya danced to her right, and Butterbean lunged at her with a vicious punch that only hit air! She kept dancing and moving to her right, a small smile gradually coming onto her face. The bulky lad, no speed demon, was telegraphing his punches as well as playing to the crowd, and she nimbly danced out of harm’s way. She was untouched when the bell sounded!

They sat down to table, and the crowd saw how she had received her name, for the slim Black Widow ate voraciously and efficiently, at a pace akin to or even faster than Kobe’s! Butterbean stuffed his face in a futile effort to keep up, with most of the food staying in his mouth. While he put away a good number, it was fewer than she had consumed. He was surprised at her capacity, and vowed to make short work of her in the ring!

He soon discovered that wanting ain’t getting and getting ain’t got, or something like that! He was chasing her in dead earnest now, but was still moving slowly, somewhat like a baby brontosaurus, and his digestive system wasn’t in sync with his concerted efforts. Again, Sonya kept moving to her right, though Butterbean landed one right, but punching across his body took a lot of the power out of it. Sonya staggered sideways but kept moving, and surprised and amazed the crowd when she connected with a left to Butterbean’s belly! The bell sounded, and the crowd cheered Sonya, who waved to them.

At the table, it was more of the same, as Sonya gobbled down quantities of the tasty Crystal burgers, while Butterbean used his stuff-the-face technique, which was, in a word, messy! By now he was breathing hard and consuming less, and the Black Widow was a clear winner!

Butterbean was desperate when the 3rd round of boxing began! While the food in his stomach was rebelling at any kind of movement, he saw that Sonya was slowing down as well! Quick as a cat, he pounced on Sonya. Alas, he resembled Garfield in terms of mobility, and hit nothing but air. Still, as the round neared completion, he did get a punch or two in, and had Sonya in trouble! Then she surprised the crowd, and definitely Butterbean, by moving left, not right, and she fired a decent hook into his midsection! The crowd cheered her moxy as the bell rang, and she looked to be in good stead, but Butterbean then belted her with a nice shot and she staggered back but kept her feet. The bell rang, saving her from more punishment.

The third round of eating remained, and Butterbean felt he had her on the ropes, as she was groggy. In his haste to depart the ring, he tripped and fell through the ropes onto the floor. His belly met the floor, and let’s be polite and just say that some food regurgitated! By the rules of the contest, the Black Widow was declared the winner, to a standing ovation, and Butterbean was left to eat crow, along with some chicken. He was gracious, finally, and saluted her, then demanded a rematch. Sonya only smiled!

Could anything top this night of boxing and specialty boxing? Some rematches and grudge matches were called for, and the promoters were mulling them over, even as the Thundering Threes Tourney was being set up!

[mikehoudini]

In my 2.0 universe, I only have 65 level 3 fighters. Right now, I'm thinking about giving the Elite Eight from the Terrible Twos Tourney a chance to make it into this tourney, and include them in a box-off with 10 level 3 fighters for the last 9 slots, just to see how many can advance (and 2 are level 1 fighters, Pedro Agosto and Danny Wofford).

Or I could match up 3 level 3s and the 2s champ for 2 slots, or just 2 level 3 guys for the 64th position. Any thoughts?

[mikehoudini]

Originally Posted by mikehoudini

In my 2.0 universe, I only have 65 level 3 fighters. Right now, I'm thinking about giving the Elite Eight from the Terrible Twos Tourney a chance to make it into this tourney, and include them in a box-off with 10 level 3 fighters for the last 9 slots, just to see how many can advance (and 2 are level 1 fighters, Pedro Agosto and Danny Wofford).

Or I could match up 3 level 3s and the 2s champ for 2 slots, or just 2 level 3 guys for the 64th position. Any thoughts?

I decided to go with the Elite Eight and 10 level 3 fighters as a box-in, but inadvertently scheduled 10 bouts, so I added China Smith at the last moment. The scheduled bouts are as follows:

Lorenzo Zanon vs. Dangerous Danny Wofford (3-5-1 1)
Arturo Godoy vs. Lee Oma (6-0 3 CH)
Gravin Sawyer vs. Bill Tate (5-1 1)
Talmadge Griffis vs. Keith McKnight (4-1 2)
Hans Birkie vs. Steffen Tangstad (4-1-2 3)
Sherman (the Tank) Williams vs. Pedro Agosto (10-2-1 9)
James Beattie vs. Jean-Pierre Coopman (3-1-1 1)
Nick Barone vs. Larry Alexander (3-1-1 2)
David Vedder vs. Dick Richardson
Ed Mahone vs. China Smith (2-1 2)

They'll meet at the Lincoln Theater in Washington, DC. Subconsciously, I selected a President's Day theme venue for this event!

[mikehoudini]

The Lincoln Theater in Washington was the venue for the box-in to the Thundering Threes Tourney. Originally, nine bouts had been planned, eight involving the Elite Eight from the Terrible Two Tourney, but a tenth was scheduled at the last minute, and China Smith accepted the last-minute invitation. The results of the opening 3 bouts of the box-in are as follows:

Lorenzo Zanon vs. Danny Wofford (3-5-1 1) – Danny had surprised everyone by going 3-1 in the Terrible Twos Tourney, and Lorenzo Zanon was licking his chops at the prospect of an easy victory!

Diminutive Danny wiped the grin off Zanon’s face, as he landed some jabs while blocking almost everything Lorenzo threw in an 8-2 1st. The 2nd was an even 6-6 round, as both men clinched and Zanon rallied in the last half-minute of the round. Wofford landed a smashing cross to start the 3rd, and Zanon’s legs buckled. He kept his footing, and Danny scored enough for an 11-6 round. The 4th was a repetition of the 2nd, a last-minute rally salvaging an even round for Zanon!

Lorenzo won the 5th, 6-0, landing several crosses, as Danny was content to stay on the defensive, conserving his energy. Danny won a lackluster 6th, 6-2, to booing from the crowd. Anxious to keep his fan base, Danny stepped in and connected for 3 uppercuts that shook Zanon up, then landed a few jabs to take the 7th convincingly, 10-2!

Probably needing a KO, Zanon rocked Danny with a huge uppercut, then followed with a combination that the burly Wofford couldn’t shake off! Danny went into his turtle defense, which Zanon couldn’t penetrate, and landed a series of jabs to rally as the round ended, 11-6 for Zanon!

I scored it 78-76 for Danny! The judged went 77-75 Wofford, 78-76 Zanon (?) and 77-76 for the winner by a split decision…Dangerous Danny Wofford! He didn't look real good, but his improbable run continues with entry to this next level up tournament!

Arturo Godoy vs. Lee Oma (6-0 3, CH of Terrible Twos) – Arturo came out ready for action in the 1st, connecting for 3 uppercuts followed by a jarring hook, and won it, 14-6, surprising Oma! Lee, who had rallied at the end, took control of the 2nd, jabbing very effectively, even landing two power jabs, winning easily, 20-4.

Lee kept his jab and crosses coming in the 3rd & 4th, outscoring Arturo, 14-6 & 10-5, despite picking up two warnings for holding and hitting. He seemed to be in control of the fight, but Godoy rallied in the 5th, landing a thundering cross, some regular crosses and then another big one. He won the round 19-6, as Oma’s chief weapon was a penchant for low blows, and a mouse appeared on Oma’s left eye!

Oma once again took control in the 6th, boxing nicely for a 12-4 round, then had enough in the tank for a 10-8 7th, though he did wince when Godoy pasted him with an uppercut! Godoy swung for the fences in the 8th, while Oma danced and was content to jab. Godoy landed a big hook and a crushing cross, which alas connected just at the end of the round. He won the round 8-6, and had Lee shaky, but it was doubtful it was enough!

The judges and I concurred that Oma won by a 77-75 margin! Oma connected 264 times, as opposed to Arturo’s 156, and landed at an 58% efficiency! He landed more jabs and crosses than Arturo did punches! So it’s 2-0 for the upstarts from the prior tourney!

Garvin Sawyer vs. Bill Tate (5-1 1) – The runner-up in the 2s tourney, Big Bill came in for this fight overweight, but started fast with a booming hook that took the wind out of Garvin’s sails! He followed up with more hooks for an easy 17-7 1st! The 2nd was a dull affair, as Sawyer was content not to get it, but displayed no offensive tendencies. Tate theoretically won the round, 4-2, but both men stank!

Garvin, well-rested, pounded the bigger man in the 3rd & 4th, a staright right landing at the end of the 3rd, 18-5, that had Tate gasping, and then pummeling Bill in the 4th, 17-7. At this point, it looked like Bill’s lack of conditioning would do him in, as he was obviously hittable.

Tate was more effective in the 5th, landing more punches and then capping it off with a huge hook that shook Garvin up. 14-4 Tate. They both were cautious in the 6th, Tate conserving himself and then unleashing a torrent of punches at the end to win, 10-6.

The 7th was a back and forth round, as Tate’s lack of conditioning was beginning to show. Sawyer landed several uppercuts at the end of the round, but Tate had the better scoring, 10-8. Garvin gunned away in the 8th, as Tate was tired and hittable. He connected with a head butt that sent Bill reeling, then threw a spot-on hook that had the big man in trouble! Tate weathered the storm and survived, losing the round, 11-4.

I had Tate the winner, 77-75, based on his good showing in the 5th through 7th! Two judges agreed with me, and the 3rd had it 76-74, Tate the winner by a unanimous decision! So far all the fighters from the previous tourney had advanced!

[mikehoudini]

Talmadge Griffis vs. Keith McKnight (4-1 2) – Griffis hoped to stop the advance of these upstart level 1 & 2 fighters into the tourney proper. McKnight had been very impressive in the Twos Tourney, making a name for himself.

Griffis boxed beautifully in the first, landing jabs, uppercuts and hooks, offsetting a thwacking hook for a 12-5 advantage! The Fighting Knight landed a right flush on the jaw to start the 2nd, and dominated Griffis the rest of the way for a massive 21-4 round, punctuated by a smashing overhand right and a combination that had Talmadge grabbing the ropes like a wrestler! At the end of the round, he had a gash under his left eye and his right eye was swelling. He looked like Thunder’s old avatar!

The 3rd was quiet, Griffis content to avoid major damage, and only one hook penetrated his defense, in a 6-6 pick-em round, but his eye had swollen up even more. McKnight fired off a seven punch combination (from The Power of One) in the 4th, and Griffis fell to the canvas, fortunate to regain his feet at the count of 8. It was an easy 17-0 round, but Keith was unable to put Talmadge away!

Griffis knew his eyes were in bad shape, and slugged it out with McKnight in the 5th! He was giving as good as he took, even absorbing a jolting uppercut, but McKnight hammered home an uppercut and that was all she wrote! McKnight was the winner by a KO at 2:50 of the 5th! 4-0 for those level 1 & 2 upstarts!

Hans Birkie vs. Steffen Tangstad (4-1-2 3) – Birkie was determined to stop this onslaught by the lower level fighters, and he did so, sort of. The two split the opening 4 rounds, then Tangstad won the 5th & 6th, 10-8 and 11-4. Determined, Birkie battled back, rallying convincingly at the end of the 7th & 8th rounds for 11-9 & 9-7 margins. I had it a draw, 76 all, and the judges agreed! This fight was as even as they come!

Hans landed a smashing hook in the opening round of the rematch, along with a series of jabs, as he dominated, 13-2. Tangstad recovered, and connected for several crosses and then a bruising hook to take the 2nd, 10-2. The two had several good exchanges in the 3rd, but Tangstad found the range with a mighty cross to take it, 14-7, then he poured it on in the 4th, 15-4, stunning Birkie with a straight right and then a booming hook. Birkie had to hold onto the ropes to keep on his feet!

Tangstad was content to jab and hammer home crosses in the 5th, offsetting Birkie’s jabs, and he won, 14-8. Birkie put it into high gear in the 6th, connecting on jabs and crosses and getting a much-needed round, 14-6. The 7th saw the two go toe-to-toe, Birkie cutting Tangstad with an uppercut, causing a gash on his right eye and a temporary halt to the fight. The round was 10-10, but the cut was ugly and could well affect the judges!

The 8th was the best round of the fight. Birkie threw a big uppercut, and Tangstad’s cut was reopened. Hans then landed a humongous hook, followed by a straight right, and Tangstad looked ripe for a knockdown or worse! But he gathered his reserves, smashing Hans with a classic uppercut of his own, and then another one, and the round ended 12-12. Tangstad’s cut bleeding profusely but both men leaving nothing behind!

This could easily go into the books as a draw, causing the two to fight yet a third time! They were very close in terms of punches landed, power punches, close on all categories. Discounting the blood that started in the 7th, I had it 78-76 Tangstad, but a fight that was oh so close! The judges scored the fight 77-75 Tangstad, 76-76 and 77-75…the winner by a majority decision, Steffen Tangstad! He’s now had three draws, but fought to keep advancing with a 5-1-3 record! 5 for 5 for the upstarts from the lower levels!

Sherman (the Tank) Williams vs. Pedro (Schoolboy) Agosto (10-2-1 9) – Could the Tank end the run of the lower-level fighters, battling against powerful Pedro? Both men sized each other up in the opening rounds, Agosto landing a flurry at the end of the 1st, 7-6, while Sherman did the same to end the 2nd, 6-6. I thought both rounds were even.

Pedro finally connected for some power punches in the 3rd, most notably a sizzling hook and thumping combination, and only a rally by Williams at the end made the round respectable, 19-11. The two traded punches in a see-saw 4th. Agosto scored more, 12-11, landing one giant cross, nut Williamns kept the round even and seemed to be absorbing Agosto’s big shots without being hurt!

His confidence up, the Tank outboxed Pedro in the 5th, landing a variety of punches in an impressive 14-6 round, taking another straight right without apparent impact! Agosto connected with the heavier blows in the 6th, a jolting uppercut and a huge hook, but the Tank never blinked, landing a series of less-powerful crosses. The scoring for the round was 11-10, Agosto, another almost even round!

Both men were tired as they came out for the 7th, and Agosto was worried, as Sherman had not seemed hurt so far by his power punches. He bulled in and landed a smashing combination, but Williams countered with a punch of his own. Agosto landed enough to win yet another close round, 9-7.

At this point, at least 4 of the 7 rounds were very even. Agosto jumped off his stool to start the 8th, finding the mark with a crushing hook and then, seconds after, with a devastating combination. Finally, Williams looked hurt from this barrage of punches! Throwing caution to the winds, the two traded exchanges. Sherman hammered a jolting cross to Pedro’s jaw, his best punch of the fight, but Pedro bulled in for another sapping combination and a series of punches that Williams couldn’t avoid. The round ended with both men trading leather, but Agosto the winner, 21-8!

I had the four rounds too close to call, so I had the fight 79-77 Agosto, despite the fact that Williams outlanded him, 21-193, and at a higher %. Pedro landed far more power punches, and their cumulative effect was evident in the 8th. The judges scored the fight 78-74, a unanimous decision for…Schoolboy Agosto! Pedro saluted the Tank, as it had been a whale of a fight! And now the upstarts were 6-0 against their supposed betters!

[mikehoudini]

James Beattie vs. Jean-Pierre Coopman (3-1-1 1) – Could Beattie, known for his power punches, who once challenged Ali for the title in another universe, stop the Lion of Flanders? Would the lion roar or sleep?

The tall, powerful Beattie snapped Coopman’s head back with a straight right to start the fight, and Coopman and the Streak were in jeopardy! The Lion pawed back with some ineffectual jabs, but Beattie was landing everything he threw, topped off by a ferocious hook, and the round ended, 21-4, Coopman in big trouble!

Coop demonstrated his toughness in the 2nd, as the Lion roared as he fired off jabs and uppercuts, taking the aggressiveness out of Beattie in a 22-4 shellacking! The see-saw match continued in the 3rd. Coopman landed five jabs in the first half of the round, but Beattie brushed them aside, connecting with a massive hook and then two jarring uppercuts at the end of the round, winning, 18-8!

The Lion roared again in the 4th, moving in and landing a series of combinations in outlanding Beattie, who was looking to finish the fight. James was cut over the right eye, an added benefit. Odd rounds, Beattie, even rounds Coopman, will this trend continue?

Wham, Beattie jolted Coopman with an overhand right to start the 5th. The two has several good exchanges, then Beattie put the Lion down for an 8 count KD to win the round handily, 21-8, but he couldn’t put the Lion away!

Coopman lashed out in the 6th, connecting for his best punches of the fight, a lashing left and a big uppercut, and Beattie was suddenly in trouble, perhaps punched out from his efforts in the previous round! He landed several punches, but Coopman was all over him, connecting with everything he threw, and the accumulated punches caused the referee to stop the bout, Coopman the winner at 2:52 of the 6th by a TKO! Beattie and his corner complained bitterly but to no avail, so it’s 7 for 7 for the underdogs! The Lion acknowledged Beattie’s prowess, and said he’d be happy to meet him in a rematch!

Nick Barone vs. Larry Alexander (3-1-1 2) – Barone landed a number of lighter punches in the 1st, but Larry offset them with a booming cross and a savage combination, winning, 8-6. Nick then put on a boxing clinic for the next 3 rounds, landing punch after punch while avoiding most of the big bombs Alexander was throwing. He won these rounds in a convincing manner, 14-4, 17-4 & 13-6, and seemed to be in a position, if he continued, to end the level 3 fighters’ jinx.

Alexander landed another big combination in the 5th, following that with a ferocious uppercut that made Barone back up! Nick regrouped and fired off a series of blows that tattooed Larry and produced a cut over his right eye, which caused a temporary halt to the fight. This last-minute rally resulted in a 12-12 round.

Barone connected early in the 6th, and the cut was reopened and looked worse, and the fight was stopped at 0:14 of the 6th, Barone the winner by a TKO on cuts! He had connected for far more punches, 199 to 63, at a higher rate, and offset Larry’s power. So the jinx was now broken.

David Vedder vs. Dick Richardson – In the only battle of true level 3 fighters, after an even 1st round, Richardson dominated the next four, 14-9, 21-7, 17-4 & 14-8. He landed several ringing rights and thumping lefts, and was jabbing and throwing his crosses very effectively! He did take a cut outside his left eye in the 2nd, but it didn’t seem to bother him and his corner took care of it.

Dick smashed Vedder with a combination in the 6th, but Vedder rallied at the end, coming up on the short side, 8-7, of an even round. Richardson had a point deducted for a low blow that wasn’t, and his cut was reopened. Vedder needed the 7th, but Richardson was evasive and landed some counters to take it, 7-4.

Vedder went all out for the KO in the 8th, and was floored for a 6 count instead! Richardson then pounded away, landing a thundering hook, a booming cross and a savage uppercut! With the score 29-0 and Vedder almost out on his feet, the referee mercifully stopped it, Richardson the winner by a TKO at 2:28 of the 8th! He had landed almost twice as many punches, 256-141, and dominated the action!

Ed Mahone vs. China Smith (2-1 2) – China had accepted this fight at a moment’s notice, and it showed in his conditioning, as he was badly overweight, to the dismay of his loyal Floridian followers.

Like all fights involving China, this one had a lot of action! He raced out at the opening bell, but was met with a booming hook from Mahone that sent him down for a 2 count! He made a tactical error in getting up so fast, as a searing combination from Mahone felled him again, this time for a 9 count! Discretion finally being the better part of valor, he covered up and lasted the round, coming out on the short end of a 23-0 score.

China was more cautious in the 2nd, and fired a sweet combination of his own. Mahone answered with a bruising uppercut, but China refused to wilt, landing a jab that sent Ed reeling backwards. He was leading the round 10-7 when, either at the bell or just after, Mahone connected with a three punch combination that floored the game fighter for the count! There was a controversy as to whether Mahone’s punches beat the bell, but it goes into the record books as a KO at 3:00 of the 2nd for Ed Mahone! China has vowed to come back for more fights and insists he’ll be in top conditioning!

So the box-in is complete, and seven of the nine challengers from the Terrible Twos Tourney will enter this one as well! The pairings for the 64 man tourney will follow, hopefully soon!

[aaaaaaaaa]

Originally Posted by mikehoudini

James Beattie vs. Jean-Pierre Coopman (3-1-1 1) – Could Beattie, known for his power punches, who once challenged Ali for the title in another universe, stop the Lion of Flanders? Would the lion roar or sleep?

The tall, powerful Beattie snapped Coopman’s head back with a straight right to start the fight, and Coopman and the Streak were in jeopardy! The Lion pawed back with some ineffectual jabs, but Beattie was landing everything he threw, topped off by a ferocious hook, and the round ended, 21-4, Coopman in big trouble!

Coop demonstrated his toughness in the 2nd, as the Lion roared as he fired off jabs and uppercuts, taking the aggressiveness out of Beattie in a 22-4 shellacking! The see-saw match continued in the 3rd. Coopman landed five jabs in the first half of the round, but Beattie brushed them aside, connecting with a massive hook and then two jarring uppercuts at the end of the round, winning, 18-8!

The Lion roared again in the 4th, moving in and landing a series of combinations in outlanding Beattie, who was looking to finish the fight. James was cut over the right eye, an added benefit. Odd rounds, Beattie, even rounds Coopman, will this trend continue?

Wham, Beattie jolted Coopman with an overhand right to start the 5th. The two has several good exchanges, then Beattie put the Lion down for an 8 count KD to win the round handily, 21-8, but he couldn’t put the Lion away!

Coopman lashed out in the 6th, connecting for his best punches of the fight, a lashing left and a big uppercut, and Beattie was suddenly in trouble, perhaps punched out from his efforts in the previous round! He landed several punches, but Coopman was all over him, connecting with everything he threw, and the accumulated punches caused the referee to stop the bout, Coopman the winner at 2:52 of the 6th by a TKO! Beattie and his corner complained bitterly but to no avail, so it’s 7 for 7 for the underdogs! The Lion acknowledged Beattie’s prowess, and said he’d be happy to meet him in a rematch!

Nick Barone vs. Larry Alexander (3-1-1 2) – Barone landed a number of lighter punches in the 1st, but Larry offset them with a booming cross and a savage combination, winning, 8-6. Nick then put on a boxing clinic for the next 3 rounds, landing punch after punch while avoiding most of the big bombs Alexander was throwing. He won these rounds in a convincing manner, 14-4, 17-4 & 13-6, and seemed to be in a position, if he continued, to end the level 3 fighters’ jinx.

Alexander landed another big combination in the 5th, following that with a ferocious uppercut that made Barone back up! Nick regrouped and fired off a series of blows that tattooed Larry and produced a cut over his right eye, which caused a temporary halt to the fight. This last-minute rally resulted in a 12-12 round.

Barone connected early in the 6th, and the cut was reopened and looked worse, and the fight was stopped at 0:14 of the 6th, Barone the winner by a TKO on cuts! He had connected for far more punches, 199 to 63, at a higher rate, and offset Larry’s power. So the jinx was now broken.

David Vedder vs. Dick Richardson – In the only battle of true level 3 fighters, after an even 1st round, Richardson dominated the next four, 14-9, 21-7, 17-4 & 14-8. He landed several ringing rights and thumping lefts, and was jabbing and throwing his crosses very effectively! He did take a cut outside his left eye in the 2nd, but it didn’t seem to bother him and his corner took care of it.

Dick smashed Vedder with a combination in the 6th, but Vedder rallied at the end, coming up on the short side, 8-7, of an even round. Richardson had a point deducted for a low blow that wasn’t, and his cut was reopened. Vedder needed the 7th, but Richardson was evasive and landed some counters to take it, 7-4.

Vedder went all out for the KO in the 8th, and was floored for a 6 count instead! Richardson then pounded away, landing a thundering hook, a booming cross and a savage uppercut! With the score 29-0 and Vedder almost out on his feet, the referee mercifully stopped it, Richardson the winner by a TKO at 2:28 of the 8th! He had landed almost twice as many punches, 256-141, and dominated the action!

Ed Mahone vs. China Smith (2-1 2) – China had accepted this fight at a moment’s notice, and it showed in his conditioning, as he was badly overweight, to the dismay of his loyal Floridian followers.

Like all fights involving China, this one had a lot of action! He raced out at the opening bell, but was met with a booming hook from Mahone that sent him down for a 2 count! He made a tactical error in getting up so fast, as a searing combination from Mahone felled him again, this time for a 9 count! Discretion finally being the better part of valor, he covered up and lasted the round, coming out on the short end of a 23-0 score.

China was more cautious in the 2nd, and fired a sweet combination of his own. Mahone answered with a bruising uppercut, but China refused to wilt, landing a jab that sent Ed reeling backwards. He was leading the round 10-7 when, either at the bell or just after, Mahone connected with a three punch combination that floored the game fighter for the count! There was a controversy as to whether Mahone’s punches beat the bell, but it goes into the record books as a KO at 3:00 of the 2nd for Ed Mahone! China has vowed to come back for more fights and insists he’ll be in top conditioning!

So the box-in is complete, and seven of the nine challengers from the Terrible Twos Tourney will enter this one as well! The pairings for the 64 man tourney will follow, hopefully soon!