The Heavyweight Boxing Federation - Page 43

kenyan_cheena · 10-20-2006, 10:34 PM

EXPECT FIREWORKS IN TORONTO

Tuesday 4 June 2002

Tomorrow night at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, Tampa's Tommy Gomez and Jacksonville's Ray Mercer will clash in an all-Florida contest that has been highly anticipated for the last three months.

Fight fans (and even some others not so inclined) will remember the events that started on March 11: the forming of the Florida Alliance by Elmer Ray, his invitation to Mercer to join the quartet and the Jacksonville native's very public and comprehensive rejection of the offer in the form of an incendiary interview with New York Age journalist James Reynolds. Then came the war of words that culminated in "The Manchester Incident" two weeks later on March 27, where the Alliance brawled with Mercer and his entourage following Mercer's bout that evening at the MEN Arena. It led to the HBF applying $13,000 worth of fines to Mercer, Ray and the other Alliance members (Oliver McCall, Terone Haynes and Gomez), but the sit down that federation president Michael Vincennes arranged between the two camps did little to ease the bad blood.

Gomez and Mercer were last in action on the 1st of May when the HBF came to Mercer's hometown of Jacksonville. On a dramatic night inside the ring, Mercer moved into first place in Group Twelve of the World Championship tournament with a majority decision win over Reuben Vargas, which was followed soon after by #1 seed George Chuvalo's first career loss against Tommy Jackson, a loss that allowed Mercer to take first place. Earlier in the evening, Gomez had suffered his first loss at the hands of Al Ettore in something of an upset.

Being Gomez's first defeat, it was also the first blemish to appear on the combined perfect record of the Florida Alliance. But, as has been well publicised, that record would be further tarnished by the time May was over, with Oliver McCall being held to a draw by Gus Dorazio and Elmer Ray losing by split decision in his blockbuster bout against Jimmy Young just this past Friday.

And so tomorrow night's clash isn't just important for Gomez's chances of progression in the World Championship tournament, it's also a chance for the Alliance to restore some credibility after the shots they took in May. However, most experts think that Mercer will be too good for Gomez, that he'll most likely win the bout by unanimous decision and further enhance his chances of qualifying for the tournament's second stage.

Those experts might be proven correct, but with the history between these two, one thing is certain. Toronto can expect fireworks tomorrow night...

kenyan_cheena · 10-21-2006, 12:11 AM

TOP SEEDS TESTED IN VEGAS

Tuesday 4 June 2002

This evening's U.S. Pacific Coast Boxing League fight card at the Aladdin Resort and Casino in Las Vegas featured a number of competitive contests, with the league's top two seeds Rosco Toles and Leotis Martin both finding stiff opposition on the way to split decision victories.

The knowledge that one of them will almost certainly move on to a chance to take part in the HBF's upcoming World Ranking tournament while the other will be placed in the fereration's Qualifying League tournament pushed both men to impressive heights in order to turn back the challenges presented to them.

In the evening's Main Event, Detroit-born Toles was victorious against 4th-seeded New Yorker Graham Jefferson. In a fight where both men spent extended periods banging shoulders and landing short, chopping blows, the 17 year-old scored a 58-56, 56-58, 58-56 split decision win to improve his record to 3-0-1 and book himself a spot in the tournament semi-finals.

It was the second consecutive split decision loss for Jefferson, who was upstaged by 9th seed Howard King five weeks ago and almost certainly spells the end of his chances to finish in the group's top two.

In the Co-Feature, #2 seed Leotis Martin remained perfect when he overcame the surprising resistance that El Monte native Freddie Beshore put up. Having been knocked out in the opening round in his last bout, the 3rd-seeded Californian has been disappointing in the tournament and was not expected to push Martin. But he really made the native of Philadelphia earn his victory, being especially impressive in rounds three and four which he won on two of the judge's cards. The final verdict was 59-55, 56-58, 58-56.

Like Toles, Martin wrapped up a semi-final spot for himself with his victory. He'll be joined there from Group B by the 7th seed from Colorado, Jim Flynn, who also remained perfect with a unanimous decision victory over New York's Greg Williams earlier in the evening. Martin and Flynn will clash in the fifth and final preliminary series with 1st place in Group B on the line.

EARLIER BOUTS

* Reno's Howard King moved into 2nd place in Group A with a unanimous decision win over Terry Daniels of Texas (58-56 on all three cards) in the evening's opening bout.

Born and raised in Nevada, King had the Vegas crowd on his side and the 9th seed did not disappoint, starting strongly and doing enough the rest of the way to secure his second consecutive victory over a higher-seeded opponent.

His record is now 2-1-1 and a win in his next bout against 12th seed Charley Powell will see him qualify for the semi-finals.

* In a bout that had no significance as far as the tournament semi-finals are concerned, Tony Doyle extended the miserable career start of 6th seed Jim Barry to four consecutive losses.

Doyle recorded a split decision victory (59-55, 56-58, 59-56), the first win of his career.

* The extremes of failure and success were painfully apparent for Philadelphia's David Bey this evening. Having held the league's #1 seed Rosco Toles to a draw five weeks ago, Bey was stopped in round three by the winless #12 seed Charley Powell tonight.

Both men started the fight in an aggressive frame of mind, with Powell getting the better of the opening round. But when Bey sent him to the canvas with a big right hand two minutes into round two, it seemed like only a matter of time before the 5th seed would finally secure his debut professional victory.

But fate played a cruel trick on Bey in round three, with Powell sucking all the air out of him with a vicious shot to the ribs late in the round. Holding onto his side in obvious pain, Bey failed to beat the count and the bout was over 2:46 into the third.

Bey's record is now an unfortunate 0-2-2 while Powell improves to 1-3(1).

SUMMARY OF RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD
TUESDAY 4 JUNE 2002
ALADDIN RESORT AND CASINO, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, USA

THE U.S. PACIFIC COAST BOXING LEAGUE

OPENING BOUT

(9) Howard King UD6 (8) Terry Daniels

PRELIMINARY 1

(7) Jim Flynn UD6 (10) Greg Williams

PRELIMINARY 2

(11) Tony Doyle SD6 (6) Jim Barry

SUPPORT BOUT

(12) Charley Powell KO3 (5) David Bey

CO-FEATURE

(2) Leotis Martin SD6 (3) Freddie Beshore

MAIN EVENT

(1) Rosco Toles SD6 (4) Graham Jefferson

kenyan_cheena · 10-21-2006, 05:26 AM

MEDIA SCRUM AWAITS JOHNSON IN HOUSTON

Wednesday 5 June 2002

"The Galveston Giant" Jack Johnson arrived back in Texas from Havana this morning, 25 days since his victory over Franco Cavicchi at the Gran Stadium.

Strolling through Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport in a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt and dark shades, the #3 seed in the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's World Championship tournament was in a relaxed mood, smiling and joking with a score of media representatives who had been waiting for him.

Johnson took an instant liking to the Cuban capital while staying there in the lead up to the federation's 11 May fight card. He also took a liking to a popular local TV personality named Mayra Santamaria and decided to extend his stay in the city once the professional side of it was taken care of. His trainer Louis Miles confirmed this back on the 20th of May and today, Johnson finally arrived back home. He was not prepared to talk about his relationship with Miss Santamaria as he made his way through the terminal, only saying that it felt good to be back home and that he was looking forward to his next bout.

Speaking of which, Johnson is scheduled to meet Renaldo Snipes in the main event of the federation's Madison Square Garden fight card on 15 June (a week from Saturday), but if anyone thinks that Johnson was simply living the good life while down in Cuba, they would be mistaken. The 22 year-old looked as fit as ever, the t-shirt he was wearing showing off his sculpted torso.

Johnson drew the ire of many Texans with his partying ways back before his shocking debut loss against England's Joe Beckett. He made an honest effort to change his attitude following that reality check and it seemed that he had earned their respect and admiration in the months that followed. But many of those who looked upon him unfavourably are also said to have been unimpressed by his antics while in Cuba. Whether that concerns Johnson or not is something that will likely be revealed in the coming days...

kenyan_cheena · 10-22-2006, 03:06 AM

MERCER AND CHUVALO STILL 1ST-2ND
AFTER THRILLING TORONTO CARD

Wednesday 5 June 2002

Ray Mercer and George Chuvalo have maintained their hold on the top two spots in Group Twelve of the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's World Championship tournament with hard-fought victories at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens this evening.

On a night that featured THE most action-packed bout the federation has ever seen, Jacksonville-born Mercer earned himself bragging rights in his feud with the Florida Alliance with a tough but convincing six round unanimous decision win against Tampa's Tommy Gomez. Hometown hero George Chuvalo improved his record to 4-1 when he turned back the determined efforts of Miami's Al Jones in the main event.

Following is a summary of the event...

OPENING BOUT

Seemingly in defiance of what was to come, the night started with a contest that should have been better than it was.

With outright second place in Group Five of the 1st Defense tournament up for grabs, Pasadena's Carl Morris and Akron native Gus Ruhlin put on a stinker. They both brought 3-1 records into the contest, so the audience would have been entitled to expect an exciting bout. But what they got was six rounds of clinching and cautiousness, only interrupted by Ruhlin taking a knee early in round five from what appeared to be a pretty harmless body shot.

Perhaps if the final round had been more entertaining, all would have been forgiven. But it turned out to be the most uneventful of the fight and the crowd let loose with a chorus of boos as the final minute ticked away.

Morris was declared the winner (unanimous decision, 58-56 on all three cards) but really, neither man deserved that distinction after such an effort.

The Californian improves to 4-1(1) and will take on tournament 5th seed Nino Valdes for 1st place in the group in five weeks.

PRELIMINARY 1

Two men with combined records of 0-8 and (you would think) much less incentive than Morris and Ruhlin did a much better job of entertaining the crowd. Reuben Vargas of Richmond, California scored his first professional victory, taking a unanimous decision (58-56, 59-54, 58-56) against England's Brian London.

Vargas was a worthy winner but London put up some solid resistance, especially in the second and fifth rounds. He kept Vargas honest for most of the contest, with the exception of the final round where a rip to the body had him down at the 1:41 mark.

PRELIMINARY 2

Nothing that had happened in the evening's previous two contests could have prepared the audience for what they would witness when New York native Tommy Jackson and Philadelphia's Al Ettore stepped into the ring.

Having both scored upset victories five weeks ago (Jackson over tournament 12th seed George Chuvalo and Ettore against 53rd seed Tommy Gomez), both men were still in contention for progression to stage two of the World Championship tournament. A win tonight was vital for their chances...

Round One

Ettore comes out like a house on fire, peppering Jackson with quick-fire jabs, three and four at a time. Jackson appears nonplussed, finding it difficult to evade that piston-like left hand. Ettore makes a fantastic start to the fight, taking the round convincingly. He walks quickly back to his corner, a spring in his step.

Round Two

Things really start to heat up as the two combatants trade heavy leather. Defense is nothing but an afterthought as they're fighting in close, bumping heads and shoulders, literally going all out to destroy each other. If they continue at this pace, neither will be able to last the distance. Ettore finishes the round strongly, catching Jackson with a thudding trio, left-right-left. But the New Yorker fires right back as the bell sounds. The crowd is on their feet and Jackson and Ettore actually touch gloves after the bell, the respect for each other's efforts clear to see.

Round Three

The momentum swings in Jackson's favour for the first time. He works harder, landing some punishing shots and outhustling Ettore. The Philadelphian is rocked by a huge left hook as the round draws to a close, but somehow he maintains his footing.

Round Four

The New Yorker is really in control now, staggering Ettore twice during the round, continuing to throw punches in bunches. Ettore is fading fast, struggling to keep up with Jackson's frenzied, insane pace. Jackson pounds his chest and calls for the audience's applause as he returns to his corner.

Round Five

Something of a lull in the action, but only compared to the earlier rounds. But again, Jackson is pushing himself beyond all pre-defined barriers, working harder than Ettore, who looks to be saving himself for the final round. Jackson wins the round comprehensively.

Round Six

Jackson has the better of the opening minute and it looks like Ettore simply has nothing left. But just as that thought enters my mind, he explodes with a huge left hook, snapping Jackson's head around. The Philadelphia slugger digs in, working hard for the rest of the round and finishing the bout in an admirable manner. He works harder than a man in that state of exhaustion has any right to ask of himself and for the first time since round two, he looks the better fighter. Fittingly, the bout comes to a close with Jackson and Ettore going toe-to-toe at centre ring. The final bell sounds, they embrace and the crowd rewards them with an extended, standing ovation...

...but ten minutes later, when the verdict is announced, both man are on the verge of tears. Each judge has scored the bout a 57-57 draw, and neither combatant can comprehend that after such a destructive, down-to-the-bones effort, they have nothing to show for it. Ettore collapses to the canvas, sitting on his backside with his head in his hands. Jackson walks over and comforts him, sitting next to him wiping his face with a towel and all the cornermen and HBF officials in the ring allow them this moment. Flashbulbs are popping, capturing an extraordinary moment in sport. The audience are split between quiet reverance and outright applause, still awestruck by what they have seen during the past half hour.

When the final punch tallies for the contest are revealed, a second look is required to make sure. They couldn't be right, could they?

Jackson 189/417 (45.3%)
Ettore 202/328 (61.6%)

It's a new HBF record for the most combined punches landed in a bout, but sitting on the canvas, exhausted, it would be the last thing that Jackson and Ettore are worried about. The result really serves neither man, but they are both still clinging onto a chance at a top two finish, but only just. Only just.

69th seed Jackson now has a record of 2-2-1 while Ettore, the 101st seed, remains above him on the standings at 2-1-2.

(to be continued)

Romdawg88 · 10-22-2006, 03:55 AM

Great fight there between Jackson and Ettore, tough break on the decision for the both of them though. I really like the ending with the two of them comforting each other that was a nice touch.

kenyan_cheena · 10-23-2006, 04:50 AM

Had a mishap with my PC today and to cut a long story short, I had to do a destructive system recovery without backing up my TBCB files. Luckily I've only run three cards since my last backup, so all I have to do is go in and edit the records of the fighters who took part in them. The fights on those cards are lost, but I wrote about them here in the thread, so they still exist in a way. I'll have to write up the remaining three bouts in the Canada card based on my memory of what happened in them, which is still pretty fresh.

Romdawg88 · 10-23-2006, 10:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Had a mishap with my PC today and to cut a long story short, I had to do a destructive system recovery without backing up my TBCB files. Luckily I've only run three cards since my last backup, so all I have to do is go in and edit the records of the fighters who took part in them. The fights on those cards are lost, but I wrote about them here in the thread, so they still exist in a way. I'll have to write up the remaining three bouts in the Canada card based on my memory of what happened in them, which is still pretty fresh.

Ouch, thats some bad luck right there. At least you didn't lose to much of your TBCB data so thats a good thing.

mh2365 · 10-23-2006, 11:43 AM

Glad to see you backed up .. can't stress that enough .. back up often!!!

kenyan_cheena · 10-23-2006, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mh2365

Glad to see you backed up .. can't stress that enough .. back up often!!!

Yep, but I'm still kinda pi$$ed off at myself for what happened yesterday. And the annoying thing is that I stayed home from work to watch game 2 of the WS, and after it was finished I went on the computer. If I had just gone to work, none of it would have happened. I'm not in the mood at the moment to get back to posting in the thread. Maybe in a day or two.

kenyan_cheena · 10-24-2006, 11:38 PM

(continuation of post #844)

SUPPORT BOUT

Eventually, the ring was cleared and the most anticipated bout of the night was only minutes away. The most anticipated, yes, but whether Mercer and Gomez would be able to equal the excitement and action of Jackson vs Ettore was an entirely different matter.

It was a big moment for the Florida Alliance and they all knew it. Following their struggles in May, the last thing they needed was another defeat and they presented a determined, enthusiastic front as they made their way to the ring, a pounding hip-hop beat assaulting the arena's speakers. Gomez took the lead, drapped in a predominantly black robe with red trim, a large hood concealing his face. He was flanked by Elmer Ray on the left and Oliver McCall on the right, walking a few metres behind him. Terone Haynes and Gomez's corner crew brought up the rear of the procession.

Soon after, the World Championship tournament's 21st seed was making the same walk. Mercer appeared to be shouting towards the ring as he traversed the aisle. When he climbed into the ring, the trash talking didn't stop. He was clearly hyped up for the contest, prowling his corner and spitting words at Gomez and his associates. The man he was set to clash with ignored him completely, shadow boxing and talking with his trainers. Terone Haynes and Elmer Ray were both leaning back against the ropes casually, a smile on Ray's face. But Oliver McCall was more than happy to exchange pleasantries with Mercer, standing in centre ring and, with arms outstretched and a sneer on his face, goading him to take a step closer. McCall even motioned towards Mercer's nose, reminding him of how he'd busted him open back in Manchester. There were a half dozen security guards in the ring, so there was little chance of anything developing, but even still it was entertaining theatre that the audience gladly applauded.

When the two men came together for the pre-fight instructions, the stare down was intense. They didn't so much touch gloves as pound gloves, with Mercer bringing his fists down forcefully.

The fight is finally underway and the action is fast and furious through the opening round, with both men appearing to let their emotions get the better of them, throwing a number of wild shots. Gomez seems to have done enough to take the round until Mercer catches him with a wicked shot to the body, and the Tampa native is down on one knee moments before the bell sounds to end the round. Gomez bangs the canvas in frustration, shaking his head as he walks back to his corner.

Round two proceeds much like the opener: these two combatants look to have thrown their gameplans out the window. They're happy to engage each other toe-to-toe, looping powershots and straight lefts and rights thrown with fierce leverage are on the menu. They're even holding a running conversation in between punches, with Mercer doing most of the talking. It's a pretty even round, an exciting one which bodes well for the rest of the contest.

(to be continued)

kenyan_cheena · 10-25-2006, 11:31 PM

(continuation)

Gomez seizes the upper hand in round three, showing more aggression than Mercer and hurting him late with a series of flush head shots. It's the most impressive round for either man in the fight, and for the first time it appears possible that Gomez is really capable of scoring an upset.

But just as quickly as he takes control, Mercer wrestles it from him with a fourth round effort that's every bit as impressive. The Jacksonville native has calmed down after those frantic opening rounds, and that calmness does wonders for his performance. He tags Gomez with his potent left jab, spearing it through the 53rd seed's defenses and chasing it with a clubbing straight right. A crushing left hook five seconds from the bell is a fitting exclamation point on a fine round from Mercer.

And so with two rounds remaining, it's still either man's to win but when Mercer drops Gomez for a second time early in the fifth, the momentum has well and truly shifted in his favour. It's another body shot that has Gomez on the canvas and Mercer converts the early success into another convincing round. The Florida Alliance member looks about done as the round winds down, shaking his head and showing a disappointed countenance as he slouches to his corner.

Mercer doesn't have to do much more than flick out the jab and tie a desparate Gomez up throughout the final round. But to make things worse for "Tampa" Tommy, Mercer finishes the bout with a flurry, toying with Gomez, trash talking and crashing a series of lefts and rights into his face as the final seconds tick away. When the final bell sounds, Mercer parades around the ring, arms raised, nodding his head confidently while Gomez simply returns to his corner and sits on his stool, knowing that he's lost his second consecutive bout.

There follows a tense five minutes, with the other members of the Florida Alliance making their way into the ring, speaking to Gomez and trying to lift his spirits while Mercer goes out of his way to proclaim his superiority in a raised voice. It looks as if Elmer Ray has told Haynes and McCall to just walk away tonight. Obviously, he knows as well as most that any kind of confrontation makes them look foolish after the beating Mercer has handed their friend. They've lost this battle, but the war is far from over.

The verdict simply confirms what everyone in attendance already knows: Mercer by unanimous decision, 59-54, 58-54, 59-54.

(to be continued)

Romdawg88 · 10-26-2006, 12:28 AM

Way to stay classy Mercer that was some real humble stuff from him there. If I'm not mistaken isn't there a chance he'll meet up with Oliver McCall in the second stage or am I just making stuff up. If it does happen I'm sure McCall will shut him up if not I'll do it when I get up there in the rankings.

kenyan_cheena · 10-26-2006, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Way to stay classy Mercer that was some real humble stuff from him there. If I'm not mistaken isn't there a chance he'll meet up with Oliver McCall in the second stage or am I just making stuff up. If it does happen I'm sure McCall will shut him up if not I'll do it when I get up there in the rankings.

Oliver is in the 1st Defense tournament, so there's no chance of them clashing until after the World Championship tournament.

HOWEVER, if Elmer Ray finishes 1st in Group Sixteen and Mercer finishes 2nd in Group Twelve (or Ray 2nd/Mercer 1st), they will both be in the same group in stage two...

Romdawg88 · 10-26-2006, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Oliver is in the 1st Defense tournament, so there's no chance of them clashing until after the World Championship tournament.

HOWEVER, if Elmer Ray finishes 1st in Group Sixteen and Mercer finishes 2nd in Group Twelve (or Ray 2nd/Mercer 1st), they will both be in the same group in stage two...

Ah, so I had mixed up Elmer and McCall cause I did remember you mentioning that it was possible for a Alliance member to meet up with Mercer in the second round. I guess I got McCall in my mind becuase of the brawl and all of the stuff that had happen between them.

kenyan_cheena · 10-26-2006, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Ah, so I had mixed up Elmer and McCall cause I did remember you mentioning that it was possible for a Alliance member to meet up with Mercer in the second round. I guess I got McCall in my mind becuase of the brawl and all of the stuff that had happen between them.

That's cool. I am hoping it happens, as Mercer vs Ray would be one of a number of great bouts in stage two, with the history between Mercer and the FA adding some extra spice to it. I think Elmer would stand a good chance of beating him, too (at least, better than Tampa Tommy).

Romdawg88 · 10-26-2006, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

That's cool. I am hoping it happens, as Mercer vs Ray would be one of a number of great bouts in stage two, with the history between Mercer and the FA adding some extra spice to it. I think Elmer would stand a good chance of beating him, too (at least, better than Tampa Tommy).

Yes, I'm crossing my fingers as well that it'll happen. That'll be a great fight, I'm still hoping that after the tournment the schedule gods allow Mercer to go up against the rest of the Alliance and attempt to pick them off one by one.

kenyan_cheena · 10-26-2006, 11:29 PM

(continuation of post #851)

"I couldn't be happier," Mercer said during the post-fight interview. "Still undefeated, still on top. And I think that this was just another example of that phrase, "don't believe the hype", you know?"

Mercer was reminded by ESPN's Bill Farris of his harsh words towards the Florida Alliance from back in March, to which the Jacksonville native smiled.

"Well, I think I backed them up, don't you?" he said. "Tonight, I justified it. Ray Mercer doesn't need someone to hold his hand, tell him how to fight. I've been in this sport for half my life, so there ain't much you can tell me that I haven't heard before, man. I'm not gonna take back anything that I said, 'cause it's all true. You just watch what happens to those guys during the next few months. It's already started, but it'll just get worse as the fights become tougher. All that advice and support's gonna look pretty hollow when the losses start pilin' up."

Mercer's words received a mixed reception from the audience and he simply laughed when Farris pointed out the boos coming from sections of the crowd. He didn't seem to care in the slightest that the four members of the Florida Alliance were still in the ring.

"I really feel confident about that fight," said Mercer, when asked about his next bout against Group Twelve's top seed George Chuvalo. "I'm sure he'll be too good for Jones tonight, but I don't have any doubts about my chances against him. I'm looking forward to the fight."

The 29 year-old was on his way back to the dressing room minutes later, the satisfaction of having both retained top spot in the Group Twelve standings and going 1-0 up in his feud with the Florida Alliance showing on his countenance.

Farris then interviewed a downcast Tommy Gomez.

"I've let down my brothers," said Gomez. "The four of us is like a family and I let them down. It's frustrating 'cause even though he had a good fourth round, I was still in it going into the fifth but that knockdown just took all the wind out o' me. I guess I have to look at the positives, and one of those is that Jackson and Ettore had a draw, so neither of them jumped over me. I'm still third and if I win my next two, I'll progress."

The Alliance's acknowledged leader Elmer Ray was asked what he thought of Ray Mercer's words.

"Let the brother talk, y'all," he said. "Let him have his moment, man. We let him run his mouth, let him say things that's gonna come back and jus' bite him on the ass, y'all. Y'all know my feelin's towards the brother, see? We jus' let him talk his self into embarassment. Our boy Tommy ain't let no one down. He just gotta acknowledge he was in agains' a better man on the night, y'all, jus' like me 'gains' Jimmy Young. He acknowledge that, and then he move on to the next fight. He still contendin', man, and we got confidence in him that he can progress."

The Florida Alliance had departed the ring soon after, receiving a considerably warmer ovation than the one afforded to Mercer...

CO-FEATURE

Emotional Argentinian Cesar Brion entered the ring for his bout with 1st Defense tournament 5th seed Nino Valdes knowing that a loss would all but end his chances of progression to stage two. The determination in his eyes was something to see as he prowled the ring waiting for his undefeated Cuban opponent, sweat bubbling on his forehead.

Having only managed a 1-1-1 record through his first three fights, Brion had scored a solid KO victory against Don Warner in his last bout to bring a 2-1-1(1) record into tonight's contest. He had seen Carl Morris defeat Gus Ruhlin in the evening's opener, so he knew a win against Valdes would move him into third place in the group standings.

(to be continued)

kenyan_cheena · 10-27-2006, 05:57 AM

(continuation)

Valdes was not only undefeated, but had been largely untroubled in accumulating a 4-0(1) record. The Cuban had been one of the most impressive competitors in the entire 1st Defense tournament, making what transpired in the evening's Co-Feature all the more surprising.

In an inspired effort, Brion broke the undefeated streak of the 1st Defense tournament's #1 seeds, scoring a majority decision victory (58-56, 57-57, 58-56). Those 1st seeds had been a combined 31-0-3 before tonight, but Brion produced the performance of his career to send Valdes to his first defeat.

The Cuban started the bout impressively, keeping Brion off balance with his stinging jab in the opening round. But the Argentinian was quick to show he wouldn't be a push over, winning the second round convincingly and then keeping his foot on the gas in the third and fourth. Both of those rounds were ultra-competitive, but it was the judge's scoring of them that ultimately won the fight for Brion. Two judges gave both rounds to him while the other had them split.

Valdes took back control of the contest in the fifth before Brion finished with a bang, rocking the Cuban with a five punch combination as the final seconds of round six ticked away.

10-20-2006, 10:34 PM	#841 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	EXPECT FIREWORKS IN TORONTO Tuesday 4 June 2002 Tomorrow night at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens, Tampa's Tommy Gomez and Jacksonville's Ray Mercer will clash in an all-Florida contest that has been highly anticipated for the last three months. Fight fans (and even some others not so inclined) will remember the events that started on March 11: the forming of the Florida Alliance by Elmer Ray, his invitation to Mercer to join the quartet and the Jacksonville native's very public and comprehensive rejection of the offer in the form of an incendiary interview with New York Age journalist James Reynolds. Then came the war of words that culminated in "The Manchester Incident" two weeks later on March 27, where the Alliance brawled with Mercer and his entourage following Mercer's bout that evening at the MEN Arena. It led to the HBF applying $13,000 worth of fines to Mercer, Ray and the other Alliance members (Oliver McCall, Terone Haynes and Gomez), but the sit down that federation president Michael Vincennes arranged between the two camps did little to ease the bad blood. Gomez and Mercer were last in action on the 1st of May when the HBF came to Mercer's hometown of Jacksonville. On a dramatic night inside the ring, Mercer moved into first place in Group Twelve of the World Championship tournament with a majority decision win over Reuben Vargas, which was followed soon after by #1 seed George Chuvalo's first career loss against Tommy Jackson, a loss that allowed Mercer to take first place. Earlier in the evening, Gomez had suffered his first loss at the hands of Al Ettore in something of an upset. Being Gomez's first defeat, it was also the first blemish to appear on the combined perfect record of the Florida Alliance. But, as has been well publicised, that record would be further tarnished by the time May was over, with Oliver McCall being held to a draw by Gus Dorazio and Elmer Ray losing by split decision in his blockbuster bout against Jimmy Young just this past Friday. And so tomorrow night's clash isn't just important for Gomez's chances of progression in the World Championship tournament, it's also a chance for the Alliance to restore some credibility after the shots they took in May. However, most experts think that Mercer will be too good for Gomez, that he'll most likely win the bout by unanimous decision and further enhance his chances of qualifying for the tournament's second stage. Those experts might be proven correct, but with the history between these two, one thing is certain. Toronto can expect fireworks tomorrow night... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 10-20-2006 at 10:42 PM.

10-21-2006, 12:11 AM	#842 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	TOP SEEDS TESTED IN VEGAS Tuesday 4 June 2002 This evening's U.S. Pacific Coast Boxing League fight card at the Aladdin Resort and Casino in Las Vegas featured a number of competitive contests, with the league's top two seeds Rosco Toles and Leotis Martin both finding stiff opposition on the way to split decision victories. The knowledge that one of them will almost certainly move on to a chance to take part in the HBF's upcoming World Ranking tournament while the other will be placed in the fereration's Qualifying League tournament pushed both men to impressive heights in order to turn back the challenges presented to them. In the evening's Main Event, Detroit-born Toles was victorious against 4th-seeded New Yorker Graham Jefferson. In a fight where both men spent extended periods banging shoulders and landing short, chopping blows, the 17 year-old scored a 58-56, 56-58, 58-56 split decision win to improve his record to 3-0-1 and book himself a spot in the tournament semi-finals. It was the second consecutive split decision loss for Jefferson, who was upstaged by 9th seed Howard King five weeks ago and almost certainly spells the end of his chances to finish in the group's top two. In the Co-Feature, #2 seed Leotis Martin remained perfect when he overcame the surprising resistance that El Monte native Freddie Beshore put up. Having been knocked out in the opening round in his last bout, the 3rd-seeded Californian has been disappointing in the tournament and was not expected to push Martin. But he really made the native of Philadelphia earn his victory, being especially impressive in rounds three and four which he won on two of the judge's cards. The final verdict was 59-55, 56-58, 58-56. Like Toles, Martin wrapped up a semi-final spot for himself with his victory. He'll be joined there from Group B by the 7th seed from Colorado, Jim Flynn, who also remained perfect with a unanimous decision victory over New York's Greg Williams earlier in the evening. Martin and Flynn will clash in the fifth and final preliminary series with 1st place in Group B on the line. EARLIER BOUTS * Reno's Howard King moved into 2nd place in Group A with a unanimous decision win over Terry Daniels of Texas (58-56 on all three cards) in the evening's opening bout. Born and raised in Nevada, King had the Vegas crowd on his side and the 9th seed did not disappoint, starting strongly and doing enough the rest of the way to secure his second consecutive victory over a higher-seeded opponent. His record is now 2-1-1 and a win in his next bout against 12th seed Charley Powell will see him qualify for the semi-finals. * In a bout that had no significance as far as the tournament semi-finals are concerned, Tony Doyle extended the miserable career start of 6th seed Jim Barry to four consecutive losses. Doyle recorded a split decision victory (59-55, 56-58, 59-56), the first win of his career. * The extremes of failure and success were painfully apparent for Philadelphia's David Bey this evening. Having held the league's #1 seed Rosco Toles to a draw five weeks ago, Bey was stopped in round three by the winless #12 seed Charley Powell tonight. Both men started the fight in an aggressive frame of mind, with Powell getting the better of the opening round. But when Bey sent him to the canvas with a big right hand two minutes into round two, it seemed like only a matter of time before the 5th seed would finally secure his debut professional victory. But fate played a cruel trick on Bey in round three, with Powell sucking all the air out of him with a vicious shot to the ribs late in the round. Holding onto his side in obvious pain, Bey failed to beat the count and the bout was over 2:46 into the third. Bey's record is now an unfortunate 0-2-2 while Powell improves to 1-3(1). SUMMARY OF RESULTS HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FEDERATION FIGHT CARD TUESDAY 4 JUNE 2002 ALADDIN RESORT AND CASINO, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, USA THE U.S. PACIFIC COAST BOXING LEAGUE OPENING BOUT (9) Howard King UD6 (8) Terry Daniels PRELIMINARY 1 (7) Jim Flynn UD6 (10) Greg Williams PRELIMINARY 2 (11) Tony Doyle SD6 (6) Jim Barry SUPPORT BOUT (12) Charley Powell KO3 (5) David Bey CO-FEATURE (2) Leotis Martin SD6 (3) Freddie Beshore MAIN EVENT (1) Rosco Toles SD6 (4) Graham Jefferson __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 10-21-2006 at 12:13 AM.

10-21-2006, 05:26 AM	#843 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	MEDIA SCRUM AWAITS JOHNSON IN HOUSTON Wednesday 5 June 2002 "The Galveston Giant" Jack Johnson arrived back in Texas from Havana this morning, 25 days since his victory over Franco Cavicchi at the Gran Stadium. Strolling through Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport in a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt and dark shades, the #3 seed in the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's World Championship tournament was in a relaxed mood, smiling and joking with a score of media representatives who had been waiting for him. Johnson took an instant liking to the Cuban capital while staying there in the lead up to the federation's 11 May fight card. He also took a liking to a popular local TV personality named Mayra Santamaria and decided to extend his stay in the city once the professional side of it was taken care of. His trainer Louis Miles confirmed this back on the 20th of May and today, Johnson finally arrived back home. He was not prepared to talk about his relationship with Miss Santamaria as he made his way through the terminal, only saying that it felt good to be back home and that he was looking forward to his next bout. Speaking of which, Johnson is scheduled to meet Renaldo Snipes in the main event of the federation's Madison Square Garden fight card on 15 June (a week from Saturday), but if anyone thinks that Johnson was simply living the good life while down in Cuba, they would be mistaken. The 22 year-old looked as fit as ever, the t-shirt he was wearing showing off his sculpted torso. Johnson drew the ire of many Texans with his partying ways back before his shocking debut loss against England's Joe Beckett. He made an honest effort to change his attitude following that reality check and it seemed that he had earned their respect and admiration in the months that followed. But many of those who looked upon him unfavourably are also said to have been unimpressed by his antics while in Cuba. Whether that concerns Johnson or not is something that will likely be revealed in the coming days... __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

10-22-2006, 03:06 AM	#844 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	MERCER AND CHUVALO STILL 1ST-2ND AFTER THRILLING TORONTO CARD Wednesday 5 June 2002 Ray Mercer and George Chuvalo have maintained their hold on the top two spots in Group Twelve of the Heavyweight Boxing Federation's World Championship tournament with hard-fought victories at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens this evening. On a night that featured *THE* most action-packed bout the federation has ever seen, Jacksonville-born Mercer earned himself bragging rights in his feud with the Florida Alliance with a tough but convincing six round unanimous decision win against Tampa's Tommy Gomez. Hometown hero George Chuvalo improved his record to 4-1 when he turned back the determined efforts of Miami's Al Jones in the main event. Following is a summary of the event... OPENING BOUT Seemingly in defiance of what was to come, the night started with a contest that should have been better than it was. With outright second place in Group Five of the 1st Defense tournament up for grabs, Pasadena's Carl Morris and Akron native Gus Ruhlin put on a stinker. They both brought 3-1 records into the contest, so the audience would have been entitled to expect an exciting bout. But what they got was six rounds of clinching and cautiousness, only interrupted by Ruhlin taking a knee early in round five from what appeared to be a pretty harmless body shot. Perhaps if the final round had been more entertaining, all would have been forgiven. But it turned out to be the most uneventful of the fight and the crowd let loose with a chorus of boos as the final minute ticked away. Morris was declared the winner (unanimous decision, 58-56 on all three cards) but really, neither man deserved that distinction after such an effort. The Californian improves to 4-1(1) and will take on tournament 5th seed Nino Valdes for 1st place in the group in five weeks. PRELIMINARY 1 Two men with combined records of 0-8 and (you would think) much less incentive than Morris and Ruhlin did a much better job of entertaining the crowd. Reuben Vargas of Richmond, California scored his first professional victory, taking a unanimous decision (58-56, 59-54, 58-56) against England's Brian London. Vargas was a worthy winner but London put up some solid resistance, especially in the second and fifth rounds. He kept Vargas honest for most of the contest, with the exception of the final round where a rip to the body had him down at the 1:41 mark. PRELIMINARY 2 Nothing that had happened in the evening's previous two contests could have prepared the audience for what they would witness when New York native Tommy Jackson and Philadelphia's Al Ettore stepped into the ring. Having both scored upset victories five weeks ago (Jackson over tournament 12th seed George Chuvalo and Ettore against 53rd seed Tommy Gomez), both men were still in contention for progression to stage two of the World Championship tournament. A win tonight was vital for their chances... *Round One* Ettore comes out like a house on fire, peppering Jackson with quick-fire jabs, three and four at a time. Jackson appears nonplussed, finding it difficult to evade that piston-like left hand. Ettore makes a fantastic start to the fight, taking the round convincingly. He walks quickly back to his corner, a spring in his step. *Round Two* Things really start to heat up as the two combatants trade heavy leather. Defense is nothing but an afterthought as they're fighting in close, bumping heads and shoulders, literally going all out to destroy each other. If they continue at this pace, neither will be able to last the distance. Ettore finishes the round strongly, catching Jackson with a thudding trio, left-right-left. But the New Yorker fires right back as the bell sounds. The crowd is on their feet and Jackson and Ettore actually touch gloves after the bell, the respect for each other's efforts clear to see. *Round Three* The momentum swings in Jackson's favour for the first time. He works harder, landing some punishing shots and outhustling Ettore. The Philadelphian is rocked by a huge left hook as the round draws to a close, but somehow he maintains his footing. *Round Four* The New Yorker is really in control now, staggering Ettore twice during the round, continuing to throw punches in bunches. Ettore is fading fast, struggling to keep up with Jackson's frenzied, insane pace. Jackson pounds his chest and calls for the audience's applause as he returns to his corner. *Round Five* Something of a lull in the action, but only compared to the earlier rounds. But again, Jackson is pushing himself beyond all pre-defined barriers, working harder than Ettore, who looks to be saving himself for the final round. Jackson wins the round comprehensively. Round Six Jackson has the better of the opening minute and it looks like Ettore simply has nothing left. But just as that thought enters my mind, he explodes with a huge left hook, snapping Jackson's head around. The Philadelphia slugger digs in, working hard for the rest of the round and finishing the bout in an admirable manner. He works harder than a man in that state of exhaustion has any right to ask of himself and for the first time since round two, he looks the better fighter. Fittingly, the bout comes to a close with Jackson and Ettore going toe-to-toe at centre ring. The final bell sounds, they embrace and the crowd rewards them with an extended, standing ovation... ...but ten minutes later, when the verdict is announced, both man are on the verge of tears. Each judge has scored the bout a 57-57 draw, and neither combatant can comprehend that after such a destructive, down-to-the-bones effort, they have nothing to show for it. Ettore collapses to the canvas, sitting on his backside with his head in his hands. Jackson walks over and comforts him, sitting next to him wiping his face with a towel and all the cornermen and HBF officials in the ring allow them this moment. Flashbulbs are popping, capturing an extraordinary moment in sport. The audience are split between quiet reverance and outright applause, still awestruck by what they have seen during the past half hour. When the final punch tallies for the contest are revealed, a second look is required to make sure. They couldn't be right, could they? Jackson 189/417 (45.3%) Ettore 202/328 (61.6%) It's a new HBF record for the most combined punches landed in a bout, but sitting on the canvas, exhausted, it would be the last thing that Jackson and Ettore are worried about. The result really serves neither man, but they are both still clinging onto a chance at a top two finish, but only just. Only just. 69th seed Jackson now has a record of 2-2-1 while Ettore, the 101st seed, remains above him on the standings at 2-1-2. (to be continued) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

10-22-2006, 03:55 AM	#845 (permalink)
Romdawg88 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 3,703	Great fight there between Jackson and Ettore, tough break on the decision for the both of them though. I really like the ending with the two of them comforting each other that was a nice touch. __________________ Romy "Iceman" Alvarez First TBCB Forum Tournament Champion, 10-6 (5). IBL: 5-0 (3) UTBA-II: Muckboys 1-0, 1st Place, 17-15 (13), 56 points Fighter of the Week 1. Sergei Artemiev 2-0

10-23-2006, 04:50 AM	#846 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	Had a mishap with my PC today and to cut a long story short, I had to do a destructive system recovery without backing up my TBCB files. Luckily I've only run three cards since my last backup, so all I have to do is go in and edit the records of the fighters who took part in them. The fights on those cards are lost, but I wrote about them here in the thread, so they still exist in a way. I'll have to write up the remaining three bouts in the Canada card based on my memory of what happened in them, which is still pretty fresh. __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

10-23-2006, 11:43 AM	#848 (permalink)
mh2365 Banned Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: louisville Posts: 14,963 Warnings: 2	Glad to see you backed up .. can't stress that enough .. back up often!!!

10-24-2006, 11:38 PM	#850 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	(continuation of post #844) SUPPORT BOUT Eventually, the ring was cleared and the most anticipated bout of the night was only minutes away. The most anticipated, yes, but whether Mercer and Gomez would be able to equal the excitement and action of Jackson vs Ettore was an entirely different matter. It was a big moment for the Florida Alliance and they all knew it. Following their struggles in May, the last thing they needed was another defeat and they presented a determined, enthusiastic front as they made their way to the ring, a pounding hip-hop beat assaulting the arena's speakers. Gomez took the lead, drapped in a predominantly black robe with red trim, a large hood concealing his face. He was flanked by Elmer Ray on the left and Oliver McCall on the right, walking a few metres behind him. Terone Haynes and Gomez's corner crew brought up the rear of the procession. Soon after, the World Championship tournament's 21st seed was making the same walk. Mercer appeared to be shouting towards the ring as he traversed the aisle. When he climbed into the ring, the trash talking didn't stop. He was clearly hyped up for the contest, prowling his corner and spitting words at Gomez and his associates. The man he was set to clash with ignored him completely, shadow boxing and talking with his trainers. Terone Haynes and Elmer Ray were both leaning back against the ropes casually, a smile on Ray's face. But Oliver McCall was more than happy to exchange pleasantries with Mercer, standing in centre ring and, with arms outstretched and a sneer on his face, goading him to take a step closer. McCall even motioned towards Mercer's nose, reminding him of how he'd busted him open back in Manchester. There were a half dozen security guards in the ring, so there was little chance of anything developing, but even still it was entertaining theatre that the audience gladly applauded. When the two men came together for the pre-fight instructions, the stare down was intense. They didn't so much touch gloves as pound gloves, with Mercer bringing his fists down forcefully. The fight is finally underway and the action is fast and furious through the opening round, with both men appearing to let their emotions get the better of them, throwing a number of wild shots. Gomez seems to have done enough to take the round until Mercer catches him with a wicked shot to the body, and the Tampa native is down on one knee moments before the bell sounds to end the round. Gomez bangs the canvas in frustration, shaking his head as he walks back to his corner. Round two proceeds much like the opener: these two combatants look to have thrown their gameplans out the window. They're happy to engage each other toe-to-toe, looping powershots and straight lefts and rights thrown with fierce leverage are on the menu. They're even holding a running conversation in between punches, with Mercer doing most of the talking. It's a pretty even round, an exciting one which bodes well for the rest of the contest. (to be continued) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

10-25-2006, 11:31 PM	#851 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	(continuation) Gomez seizes the upper hand in round three, showing more aggression than Mercer and hurting him late with a series of flush head shots. It's the most impressive round for either man in the fight, and for the first time it appears possible that Gomez is really capable of scoring an upset. But just as quickly as he takes control, Mercer wrestles it from him with a fourth round effort that's every bit as impressive. The Jacksonville native has calmed down after those frantic opening rounds, and that calmness does wonders for his performance. He tags Gomez with his potent left jab, spearing it through the 53rd seed's defenses and chasing it with a clubbing straight right. A crushing left hook five seconds from the bell is a fitting exclamation point on a fine round from Mercer. And so with two rounds remaining, it's still either man's to win but when Mercer drops Gomez for a second time early in the fifth, the momentum has well and truly shifted in his favour. It's another body shot that has Gomez on the canvas and Mercer converts the early success into another convincing round. The Florida Alliance member looks about done as the round winds down, shaking his head and showing a disappointed countenance as he slouches to his corner. Mercer doesn't have to do much more than flick out the jab and tie a desparate Gomez up throughout the final round. But to make things worse for "Tampa" Tommy, Mercer finishes the bout with a flurry, toying with Gomez, trash talking and crashing a series of lefts and rights into his face as the final seconds tick away. When the final bell sounds, Mercer parades around the ring, arms raised, nodding his head confidently while Gomez simply returns to his corner and sits on his stool, knowing that he's lost his second consecutive bout. There follows a tense five minutes, with the other members of the Florida Alliance making their way into the ring, speaking to Gomez and trying to lift his spirits while Mercer goes out of his way to proclaim his superiority in a raised voice. It looks as if Elmer Ray has told Haynes and McCall to just walk away tonight. Obviously, he knows as well as most that any kind of confrontation makes them look foolish after the beating Mercer has handed their friend. They've lost this battle, but the war is far from over. The verdict simply confirms what everyone in attendance already knows: Mercer by unanimous decision, 59-54, 58-54, 59-54. (to be continued) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports

10-26-2006, 12:28 AM	#852 (permalink)
Romdawg88 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Winter Park, FL Posts: 3,703	Way to stay classy Mercer that was some real humble stuff from him there. If I'm not mistaken isn't there a chance he'll meet up with Oliver McCall in the second stage or am I just making stuff up. If it does happen I'm sure McCall will shut him up if not I'll do it when I get up there in the rankings. __________________ Romy "Iceman" Alvarez First TBCB Forum Tournament Champion, 10-6 (5). IBL: 5-0 (3) UTBA-II: Muckboys 1-0, 1st Place, 17-15 (13), 56 points Fighter of the Week 1. Sergei Artemiev 2-0

10-26-2006, 11:29 PM	#857 (permalink)
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 4,618	(continuation of post #851) "I couldn't be happier," Mercer said during the post-fight interview. "Still undefeated, still on top. And I think that this was just another example of that phrase, "don't believe the hype", you know?" Mercer was reminded by ESPN's Bill Farris of his harsh words towards the Florida Alliance from back in March, to which the Jacksonville native smiled. "Well, I think I backed them up, don't you?" he said. "Tonight, I justified it. Ray Mercer doesn't need someone to hold his hand, tell him how to fight. I've been in this sport for half my life, so there ain't much you can tell me that I haven't heard before, man. I'm not gonna take back anything that I said, 'cause it's all true. You just watch what happens to those guys during the next few months. It's already started, but it'll just get worse as the fights become tougher. All that advice and support's gonna look pretty hollow when the losses start pilin' up." Mercer's words received a mixed reception from the audience and he simply laughed when Farris pointed out the boos coming from sections of the crowd. He didn't seem to care in the slightest that the four members of the Florida Alliance were still in the ring. "I really feel confident about that fight," said Mercer, when asked about his next bout against Group Twelve's top seed George Chuvalo. "I'm sure he'll be too good for Jones tonight, but I don't have any doubts about my chances against him. I'm looking forward to the fight." The 29 year-old was on his way back to the dressing room minutes later, the satisfaction of having both retained top spot in the Group Twelve standings and going 1-0 up in his feud with the Florida Alliance showing on his countenance. Farris then interviewed a downcast Tommy Gomez. "I've let down my brothers," said Gomez. "The four of us is like a family and I let them down. It's frustrating 'cause even though he had a good fourth round, I was still in it going into the fifth but that knockdown just took all the wind out o' me. I guess I have to look at the positives, and one of those is that Jackson and Ettore had a draw, so neither of them jumped over me. I'm still third and if I win my next two, I'll progress." The Alliance's acknowledged leader Elmer Ray was asked what he thought of Ray Mercer's words. "Let the brother talk, y'all," he said. "Let him have his moment, man. We let him run his mouth, let him say things that's gonna come back and jus' bite him on the ass, y'all. Y'all know my feelin's towards the brother, see? We jus' let him talk his self into embarassment. Our boy Tommy ain't let no one down. He just gotta acknowledge he was in agains' a better man on the night, y'all, jus' like me 'gains' Jimmy Young. He acknowledge that, and then he move on to the next fight. He still contendin', man, and we got confidence in him that he can progress." The Florida Alliance had departed the ring soon after, receiving a considerably warmer ovation than the one afforded to Mercer... CO-FEATURE Emotional Argentinian Cesar Brion entered the ring for his bout with 1st Defense tournament 5th seed Nino Valdes knowing that a loss would all but end his chances of progression to stage two. The determination in his eyes was something to see as he prowled the ring waiting for his undefeated Cuban opponent, sweat bubbling on his forehead. Having only managed a 1-1-1 record through his first three fights, Brion had scored a solid KO victory against Don Warner in his last bout to bring a 2-1-1(1) record into tonight's contest. He had seen Carl Morris defeat Gus Ruhlin in the evening's opener, so he knew a win against Valdes would move him into third place in the group standings. (to be continued) __________________ MLB: 1958 and Beyond... The Greatest Prize in Sports Last edited by kenyan_cheena : 04-14-2007 at 10:19 PM.