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.
………………………………..........................................................................
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