-Photo Credit: Mary Ann Owen-

 

The Thursday noche Versus channel coughed up a twin-bill that had  heavyweights Tye Fields and Dominic Jenkins in the main event, and welters Joshua Clottey with Felix Flores underneath.

Had seen Fields on couple past occasions - not impressed - fact is, other than size at 6-9, what stands out is an ability to camouflage anything resembling boxing skill - this, after a now 40 kept appointments.

With nothing changing, and hand picked 3-day notice Jenkins arriving for the stipend - it was less than a surprise that super hack in charge Jay Nady was caught on camera between rounds six and seven making no attempt to stifle a yawn.

With that Nady reflex summing up the ring action, the Jenkins corner finally did the right thing, and kept Dominic on the stool come the bell for stanza eight.

Tye did his best to make it a fight, but short notice Jenkins mostly went "turtle" round after round - ironically, a couple of Jenkins roundhouse rights would find the big guy’s kisser with no results.

Best I got in describing the winning "Big Sky" Fields performance came during Nady’s big yawn - a flashback to my early Brooklyn days - was on the corner of Moffat St. and Wilson Ave. outside O’Brien’s candy store that I watched Mrs. Bonanno and Anne Rennick doing battle - damned if both didn’t toss the right hand much like "Big Sky" and "The Spoiler" - altho’ with badder intentions.

Post Scripts: Fields ( 39-1, 35 KO) ~ age 32 - see no advantage in the slimming down to 257 from 270 - body looked soft when compared to the past body-builder, iron-pumper look. Didn’t help, since he’s seriously boxing-challenged on all counts. Talk is next up a Hasim Rahman mismatch - one that will likely find the "Big Sky" overhead ominously clouded and threatening evil things for the man from Montana. 

                       Jenkins ( 12-7, 6 KO) ~ age 34 - calls Texas home … maybe should have been a bronco bustin’ cowboy instead of pro heavyweight fighter. Shame on the "brain" trust that offered the guy up to what could have been a pugilistic sacrifice. Only saving grace is Fields punches like a welterweight.
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Show opened with a valid ten round welter pairing with hard-nosed veterans Joshua Clottey and Felix Flores - an action affair from start to finish more deserving the main event stipend gifted  the two hapless behemoths that would follow.

On paper the scoring for those not seeing this one told little of the story - yes, Clottey clearly earned the win, but the unanimous 100-90, 99-91, 97-93 ballots made it appear a Clottey walk in the park - far from it.

The transplanted African now calling Bronx, New York home had the size and power advantage over the Puerto Rican gamer - but try as he did to steamroll the smaller Flores it didn’t take long to find the Islander had a chin up to the challenge.

Clottey grabs eight of ten rounds on busier output and better outside skills - the mid round Flores inside flurries and combinations earned him stanzas five and six on my unofficial - and he remained willing to exchange during the run to that proverbial wire.

What we got in this one, was what was missing from the heavyweights - two visible and valid professionals giving their all.

Clottey (age 30), with the win, ups to 32-2, 20 and shouting for the top guns at 147.  Flores (age 31) drops to 22-6, 18 and now reduced more to the ESPN-Sho-Box level - as main event property.

Closing Comments: Versus commentators Nick Charles and Wallace Matthews a compatible duo - still, attempts at mixing positives-negatives during Fields-Jenkins bout never had a prayer.
                                   Both referees in charge pretty much politically locked in at Sin-City - Nady a stand up comic and Kenny Bayless performs more like an animated mannequin.

GEL  - 

Questions? Comments? Email George Elsasser here

8-10-2007