The ESPN Wednesday night fights from Atlanta, GA topped its card with  featherweights Leon Bobo and Antonio Davis in a scheduled 12-round battle for the minor league NABO strap.

For Bobo, undefeated southpaw with the 16-0, 2 resumé the question was how he might handle the incoming from a step up in caliber veteran Davis.

For Davis the win a must - at age 35 the clock ticking on a late starting 26 bout  career - and there was that 2006 loss in WBO title bout with Joan Guzman.

Bobo, no toddler at age 28, and previously nurtured on pugilistic pabulum, the  brain trust needs were not the little league strap, but answers to how its charge handles the challenges of a physically stronger Davis on a mission.   

Davis the quicker, brings the action to close quarters - more barrages than  combinations - the plan to wear down the lighter punching Bobo.

Took no more than four stanzas for the Bobo brain trust to have the rest of the story - early on, along a bumpy journey the kid tried a couple straight left hands, and a few half-hearted two-punch combos - but for the most part it was survival time.

Didn’t help Bobo, that "Bozo the clown" in charge referee George Chip docked the kid a point in stanza four for holding - guess here is the clown skipped a few classes of boxing referee school - the part that educates candidates in styles making fights. Especially righty vs. lefty where both, inadvertent and tying up is a way of life inside the ring ropes.

Regardless, what we had was a Davis 40-35 advantage after four - then numero cinco and a combination of Bobo down; then deducted point for holding; Bobo down and through the ropes from combination of punches and pushes; then bell to the rescue.

Bobo wisely surrenders on stool between five and six - enters books as Davis by TKO 5 - Davis claims NABO featherweight belt.

Post Scripts: Antonio Davis ( 24-3, 12 KO) ~ age 35 - the NABO bauble a nice trinket for a veteran a couple steps short of major league success. Has earned the recognition and is legit roadblock for other rookies on the way up.
                       Leon Bobo ( 16-1, 2 KO) ~ age 28 - clearly not ready for the next rung - there was hints of poise and technique from port side - problem in this one was lack of confidence. Mucho catching up in tough biz of pro boxing.
                      Referee George Chip ~ hyper fool without a clue is best I have for this imposter.

GEL  

8-2-2007