GREEN BATTERS BONSANTE; McCLINE BESTS SMITH

By George Elsasser


 

 

 



Last night’s ESPN Friday noche fites offering was a step up in quality compared to its  Wednesday abomination - this one actually had a commission medicine man in attendance - still, all went as choreographed.

Feature attraction was a Super-middleweight  mismatch that showcased house "prospect" Allan Green, who battered "Contender's" graduate of fistic futility Anthony Bonsante, to the tune of five round TKO.

A predestined affair, the younger at 26, and 6-2 in height Green, enjoyed the hometown outing while working from a fite version of a stacked deck - toss in the power punch advantage, and what we got was a Green shutout over four candles before dropping the curtain in number five.

Bonsante, age 35 with a less than glittering rap sheet of 26-7-3, 15 KOs, entered with a look of 'a pay check is a pay check' in the eyes, was dropped in stanza two courtesy of a dandy counter left hook - and the handwriting on the wall shouted this one would be a short night.

Finally stanza five and a big left hook finds Bonsante down again - time of finis 2:37 mark - and on that note, commentator Joey Tessitore quickly began soliciting names among the middleweight elite for its new find.

Post Scripts: Allan Green ~  is still squeaky clean at a now 21-0, 15 KO’s - excellent size and strong punching power from both sides - also has a questionable set of crockery in the chin department that was exposed in recent meeting with sparring partner of little renown Donny McCrary - and what we got was a Green "top prospect" version of the Zab Judah hucklebuck. Still, to his credit Green survived and left hapless Donny for dead on the canvas. Watching last nite, a flashback of 1940-1950s light heavyweight Bob Satterfield came to mind - big puncher doesn’t come close. Bob was monster puncher that met the best of the day - downfall would be the chin - stopped in seven at middleweight by "Bronx Bull" "Jake LaMotta - also spanked by such celebrities as Ezzard Charles, Archie Moore, Harold Johnson and others. Green not in that league as yet, but worth a peek once stepping up in level of talent.
                       Anthony Bonsante ~ Best I can offer this "Contender's" dropout of minor consequence is audition for another walk on TV sitcom spot. No clout and already over the hill at age 35.

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Heavyweight semi-final saw Jameel McCline, hopeful without a prayer, cruising to a lopsided unanimous decision over stranger in the night  Terry Smith, who may have stolen stanza one but then was blanked the rest of the voyage. McCline once a contender but now at age 36 and last noche enters at 270 pounds. Says here if Jameel gets the wish and entertains the top ten names he could end up on Social Security disability payroll.

Too slow on all counts - scored against a no-clout foe, but no longer gets anything off without first a consultation between brain and its bodily subsidiaries - the pause in the message translates to accident waiting to happen.    

Closing comments: McCline ~ likable type and now at 38-6-3, 23 KOs - long over the hill and it shows. Could pick up the proverbial walk around money if careful considering the opposition.
                                 Terry Smith ~ now at 28-2-1, 18 KOs - nice on paper and the guy still very game at age 34 - where them 18 by stoppage came from is a mystery that at this point needs no solving.    
                                 Tessitore-Atlas-Kenny ~ Personally, I do like Teddy … has the fite background in once claiming NYC Golden Gloves tourney at welter. Toss in the D’Amato tutored trainer success with Michael Moorer and he surely qualifies.
                                 Tessitore ~ claim to fame a sports commentator, and unqualified as fite expert - more company man than boxing knowledgeable - much too quick to drape every new face with "prospect" and contender recognition.
                                 Kenny ~ Studio stooge - only question here concerns his finishing every question/statement with a tough guy look on the face. Had he been around during my day and growing up in Bushwick at Bed Stuy border, the facial expression would quickly convert to a needed dental emergency.

GEL         

 7-21-2006   

 



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