The ESPN Friday Nite (August 11) lightweight main
event featuring Edner Cherry and veteran Daniel
Aliceo for the NABF strap of minor consequence,
coughed up an active affair from start to finish.
Cherry prospect, at age 24, has the size and strength
to match the proven toughness, and Aliceo at age 33,
pretty much running out the calendar, but doing it
with pride, and willingness to wage battle in the
trenches.
Aliceo grabs the opening stanza on busier output and
accuracy - but the pop was clearly not nearly
effective enough to claim the nite - then candle two
and a Cherry message delivered and received rocks
Aliceo late in the stanza.
Maybe Aliceo steals numero three, but then it is
Cherry on a roll over the subsequent three rounds as
he picks up the pace over 4-5-6 - but then numero
seven, and a power right hand to the head brings pain
to Cherry the deliverer more than the recipient.
No sooner the Cherry "bomb" scores that it is he with
look of pain on the face - and Aliceo veteran notices,
and what we get is a temporary rewriting of the script
with Danny boy on the offense.
Aliceo snatches eight as Cherry goes defensive - then
the one minute respite between eight and nine and
trainer Peter Fernandez imploring Cherry to bite the
bullet, or words to that affect, and promising a
doctor visit come the weekend.
Now numero nuevo and Cherry prospect tossing bombs
from both hands while breezing over stanzas ten and
eleven - power body punches during candle eleven sets
the stage for the twelfth round closer.
Then twelve, and a Cherry right hand wobbles a game
but finished Aliceo and referee Dave Johnson quickly
calls a halt at 1:50 seconds mark.
Post Scripts: Edner Cherry ~ ( 21-4-2, 10 KOs) have
seen this kid’s act before - likable, and at age of 24
has time to develop into something serious among the
hot bed of talent at 135. Strong of body and ticker -
also has quickness of hands and feet - but, in a pool
of piranha at 135 with names Diego Corrales, Juan
Diaz, Joel Casamayor, Julio Diaz, Acelino Freitas and
others, the need is a graduation in skills to a
definitive outside game to complete the transition of
prospect to contender.
………………………………..........................................................................
Televised prelims - standard today pairings of hopeful
vs. inferiority: scheduled 8-round jr. lightweight
mismatch has Monty Meza-Clay (20-1, 13 KO) in a walk
in the park round six TKO over hapless age 35 Dean
White, a southpaw without clout - end arrives stanza
six due to cut left eye.
Tossed in was 4-round jr. welter laugher - a filler
with one Verquan Kimbrough going to 15-1- 1KO by
unanimous decision over one day notice substitute
Martin Robbins at age 37, and (21-32-1, 15KO).
Be my guest, you can fill in the rest of the story -
but first, let me include Robbins arrives with resume`
that unveils his losing seven consecutive priors and
serious knee surgery. As that yesterday pop tune went
"Almost heaven, West Virginia" - for winner Kimbrough
maybe, but not for Robbins.
Closing Comments: The Referees: I’d single out the
venue being the Mountaineer Race Track at Chester,
West Virginia, but I won’t - seems today most are cut
from similar mode - the clue is the visible mic
attached to the rear of the trouser belt.
Still, prelim hack Tim Wheeler a buffoon at best - the
missing basics there for all to see - rushing in panic
to break a clinch while both fighters are flailing
away baffles the senses. Main event man in charge Dave
Johnson nearly bought credibility over the early
stages of his assignment but then weakened as it went
to deep waters. Still, the stoppage was on the dime -
Aliceo had zero chance of pulling out the upset when
the end arrived.
And this:Teddy Atlas
bails Joey Tessitore out during Cherry-Aliceo bout
when Tessitore goes to the Cherry corner end of seven
to ask trainer Peter Fernandez to assess the damage to
Cherry right hand. Fernandez says, "Yes, Cherry has
broken his knuckle but we told him to ignore it" -
Teddy quickly reminds the good trainer that he has no
X-ray machine in the corner so he doesn’t know the
damage." Sure enough Fernandez rephrases it to Cherry
complaining over the right hand hurting. Translation:
Tessitore a commentator, Atlas a passed valid fight
trainer.
Geo --
8-11-06
