-Photo Credit: Jose Hernandez/BRC-

The HBO welter Saturday Nite Special had champion (IBF) Kermit Cintron, (WBO) mandatory Paul Williams - and Alfonso Gomez of semi-pro "Contenders" fame sharing the spotlight with convincing winning performances.

The double-dip from Atlantic City boardwalk of beauties and bag ladies opened the split viewing with Cintron defending against Argentine Walter Matthysse - when last visiting here the South American was seen snoozing courtesy of a Paul Williams late round barrage - neat qualifications for a title shot,  eh?    

Cintron dispatches the fraudulent one as quickly as the opening 29 seconds of stanza two - the power puncher from Reading, Pennsylvania  first drops Matthysse in a feeling out round one before getting serious in stanza two - Walter down from right hand, once upright Cintron quickly pounces with right hand/ left hook combo and it’s lights out.

Referee Earl Morton quickly sees no need for a count - beckons the Jersey medics in attendance to aid the stricken one - only question here is how commission top dog Larry Hazzard invited the previously exposed Matthysse in the first place.

Next up, popular Boardwalk Hall attraction Arturo Gatti in a AARP qualifier with  "Contenders" series also ran Alfonso Gomez - harmless enough on paper for the past blood-n-guts battler of too many wars.

Manny Steward had it on the bulls-eye when answering Bob Papa’s query who he liked in this one - Manny’s response, "if Gatti cannot beat a Gomez he can’t beat anyone."

Opens with Gomez the quicker and busier - Gatti in style moving on the outside as if a slick counter puncher - bad move as the "Contenders" kid grows in confidence.

All Gomez over first six stanzas - as early as number four, with Gomez taking batting practice, my notes shouted were he a puncher it would be long over - then stanza seven with Gatti body language and look in the eyes, suggested only missing item is a white flag - then he‘s down and out for the count at 2:12 mark of the round.

Is clear Gatti has never recovered from the many "highlight" reel gory outings over the years - this invitation looked safe enough - more about improving the gate than anything else - only hint of positives is the post fight announced retirement - hope for Arturo "thunder" it sticks this time around.

Gomez you ask? Nice kid and proven tough - but not a prayer for validity in a 47-55 pool stocked with pugilistic piranha - missing item shortage of clout. The now 17-3-2, 8 KOs tells rest of the story.

Then the Saturday finale from out at Home Depot Center, Carson, CA - (WBO) champion Antonio Margarito and a promising Paul "The Punisher" Williams meeting the challenge.

Begins as expected, with Williams the quicker and having the better of things in  action opening stanza - over the front side it’s all Williams in a volume vs. power punching scenario.

Margarito ever the warrior, made a belated run to the wire, but would come up short on the scorecards which had it unanimous for Williams 116-113, 115-113, 115-113 that translates to 8-4 in rounds on one card, and 7-5 on the other two.

Rest of the story: The title fights for boxing fans made this HBO offering worth the peek - on merit and availability. Williams is the one to watch - had the biggest test in Margarito, while a veteran of 39 fights he had recently dispatched Cintron.
Pickings plentiful at 147 - Mayweather and Cotto quickly come to mind, and for the uninitiated, a recharged Cintron has joined the mix - not to mention re-booted  money makers in Mosley and De La Hoya.

Post Scripts: Merchant and Steward gems -  Steward pre-fight "If Gatti can’t beat Gomez he can’t beat anyone" -  Merchant on post-fight Gatti, "The sand has run out of the Gatti hourglass."

GEL  

7-14-2007