Jameel "Big Time" McCline has returned ... sort of like "Dugout Doug" did at the beaches of the Pacific during the big WW2 ... both "Big Mac's" had a little extra going for them on the return trips.

The famed 5-star general found zero resistance as he sauntered along the sand with corn-cob pipe at the ready - with McCline, it was a friendly quick-stoppage from referee Tony Orlando, who like the singing namesake of "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Around the Ol' Oak Tree" fame, is about ready for a new moonlighting gig.

Ok, the fite ... watching over the magic-lantern I scored the opening candle for the light punching Charles Shufford in what was a feeling out round - then, late in round two Shufford finished a combination with a dandy of a straight right that had "Big Time" barely erect and standing on legs of cooked spaghetti.

Unlike the McCline-Wlad mismatch, and to his credit, Jameel answered the suddenly aggressive Shufford come start of round three with a counter roundhouse right hand ... a quick follow-up of punches sent Shufford sprawling to the canvas.

Charles beats the count but is unsteady as he backs to the ropes with McCline in quick pursuit ... a series of left and right hands follows ... with Shufford in the defensive mode, three punches find a target, still, Shufford appears clear-eyed ... enter Orlando ... and you gotta feel this guy had himself a hot date waiting at the cocktail lounge ... usual dramatics of waving and head shaking as he calls a halt.

Team Shufford is visibly and understandably upset, but it goes into the books as TKO win for McCline who goes to 29-3, 17 KOs ... and Shufford drops to 19-4, 9 KOs ... as for the bigger at 277 pounds McCline version, the feelings here is a couple more testers are a must ... and best advice is to keep the wallet zippered.

Underneath card resulted in respective split-decision verdicts ... never noticed whether it was a full-moon up above over there at the boardwalk of bag ladies of Atlantic City ... opening 6-rounder had Imani Lee at 6'5" and 287 lbs. dropping Kelvin Hale in opening candle that had the Maxie-Brian duo sounding warm all over with the ooh, big thing ... anyway, big Imani quickly ran out of whatever it is that keeps him going and never wins another round. Split verdict or not, right conquers wrong with Hale bringing home the "W."

Semi eight-rounder saw Ray Austin gifted with split-nod over a more aggressive Sedrick Fields ... this one was close call but Fields was the hot number down the homestretch ... Austin goes to 18-3-2 with 13 whacks and Fields drops to an ugly 18-20-1 and 12 knockouts.

Semper fi,

GEL

05-10-2003

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