The ESPN2 gang used its FNF offering to hawk its Saturday PPV card prior, during, and after heavyweights Dominick Guinn and Friday Ahunanya went ten rounds to a majority standoff - a non-event that more resembled a 1930s dance hug-a- thon, than a critical must winner.

Commentator Teddy Atlas never once missed a step as he strategically adjusted to the flow, as the tempo inside the squared circle went from worse to worser.

Before it became clear that the Guinn of circa 2003 impressive wins over Michael Grant (TKO7) and Duncan Dokiwari (UD) was a no show, the listener was bombarded by the nonstop rapid verbal deliveries of Teddy chatter bug over the advantages of a Guinn near 200 amateur background.

Atlas complimented trainer Ronnie Shields on a job well done, in converting Guinn from a past slower paced selective puncher, to a today quicker one with better outside movement with a busy jab.

Then, as a boring, no-action waltz neared the finish line, good ol’ Teddy arrived at a whole different take -  the problem was Guinn. Was too confused to adjust to the needed changes in style.

Yeah, right! Think the only change for Guinn, who stayed much too long an amateur - thus something of a rookie today at age 30 - is to dispatch Shields and Breland to the recycle bin, and return in style to the patient, disciplined, selective power puncher he first showed us.

Post Scripts: The official scoring saw it Guinn 97-93 on one card and 95-95 on the other two. My unofficial had it for Guinn at 97-93 in points and 7-3 under round by round method. Guinn’s potential is being sacrificed by a ludicrous sense of need to increase the punch output with BB gun potency. The correct style was the Guinn in them Grant-Dokiwari episodes with Dominick wasting nothing while picking and choosing on the inside.

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A new fresh 21 year old face from St. Paul Minnesota saved the night for this fight fan when watching a confident, cocky, Jason Litzau put on a clinic in stopping a brave Poncho Martinez in stanza 5 of a scheduled 8- rounder.

Litzau, a tall featherweight that will soon outgrow the division, has quick, potent power in both hands that come from all directions. Not a flailer, all combinations delivered with bad intentions. Only the strong chin and brave heart of Martinez kept him on his feet from start to finish. The stoppage by referee Toby Gibson was correct with much too many of the incoming mail finding the mark. Litzau goes to an undefeated 14 with all via knockout. Not sure he has that kind of power, but bangs hard enough and often enough to get the attention.

Closing Comments: The ludicrous sell of the big advantage of long amateur resumé loses me. The today amateurs wear protective headgear while dueling with large mittens. The body punching is frowned on, as is bob-n-weave style so necessary for the shorter fighter. Toss in that  whether it be 3-round fights or 5-rounders at 2-minute intervals, the lack of experience in saving stamina for "championship" rounds doesn’t exist.

GEL