This coming Friday night ESPN drops the curtain on its year 2006 fistic schedule at  the Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino in Tulsa- and takes no more than a peek to see they’re closing on a high note, with fan friendly Emanuel Augustus in the mix.

Main event  honors go to local Tulsa product Allan Green (21-0, 15) facing veteran Emmett Linton ( 33-4-2, 15) - but for my dollar, the draw is far and away the Augustus return with Courtney Burton.

They met back on July 6, 2004 at Burton’s backyard of Muskegon, Michigan - and the disturbing actions of hack referee Dan Kelley, while riding shotgun for the hometown favorite, was as white collar criminality in design as it gets.

It took no more than three candles of vintage Augustus to spring Kelley the clown into action - begins in stanza four - Augustus scores with a hook to the body, then another one to the belt ,and there’s dumb Dan on the case. Warns Emanuel for hitting low and gives Burton a fistic version of R&R.

After taking candle five off, it’s all Augustus thru numbers eight - a clinic with superb defense and ongoing combinations - some in the book, others awaiting updated issue - all this while enduring constant verbal harassing from the man in charge.

Then stanza nine, and a desperate Kelley to the homey’s rescue - a point deduction charged to Augustus for what was described as "Circling" - later upgraded the misdemeanor as spinning from out of a clinch.

In reality, what took place was Burton wrapping an arm around Augustus’ neck - Emanuel executes a circular move to become unraveled - clearly an evasive tactic that earned no advantage.

Still, it was all Augustus over the finishing stanza ten - and then the scoring, and what we get is more than a simple mugging, but  something of a Muskegon rape - two hacks saw it Burton 99-90, 97-92 and the third judge, guy without the dog, tin cup, and dark glasses had it all Augustus 97-92.

And so the stage is set for payback - no hometown trickery, with the setting Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Augustus hailing from Texas and Burton from Michigan - and this one deserving of main event recognition if only on paper.

On that note, if you’ve never caught the Emanuel Augustus act, let me leave you with an old Al Jolson shout - "You ain’t seen nothing’ yet."

GEL -