ESPN tossed up three unbeatens on its FNF card from far out Tucson, AZ - and when the smoke cleared, all went as choreographed, with the trio of “chosen” ones, Daniel Jacobs, Jermell Charlo, Deontay Wilder remaining untarnished.

The first knock on the door went to Jr. middleweight Jermell Charlo who would go to eight wins with four arriving short of the distance. Had the better of things with a game but limited Federico Flores who would drop to a mediocre six up, three down with three of the wins arriving short of the distance.

The Charlo keys to victory came via the quickness department - the 19 year old would keep Flores off balance for the most part over the early going with effective counters - then as it reached deep water, the better skills set up more meaningful combination punching.

Finally stanza eight and a Charlo short burst of power punches found the mark and drew a wiggle in the walk, and referee Nico Perez quickly intervened - time of knockout .42 seconds.
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Next up we get heavyweights Deontay Wilder in with Kelsey Arnold  - talk about mismatch, this one an insult to any neutral fan that paid to get in. I mean, in one corner we have undefeated at five-0, and in the other corner is a 1-2, 2 guy in search of a paycheck. First we hear the opening round bell, and some 63 seconds later it’s a big right hand and down goes Arnold. Good night sweetheart.
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Then the main event; Middleweights Daniel Jacobs from the NYC borough of Bars & Churches facing Harlem’s George Walton - Jacobs, age 22, Walton at age 35 - tale of the tape also gives the edge to Jacobs, the touted prospect, at 6’ 1 vs. 5’8.

 

 En route to victory seventeen Jacobs scores a knockdown in round two, and is tossing a proverbial shutout  when local third man in charge Bobby Ferrara has seen enough and pulls the plug from Walton at 1:59 mark of the round.
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Closing thoughts:

• Daniel Jacobs: if Walton was a step up, the other scalps taken must have been exhumed to pad the Jacobs rap sheet - or simply semi-cadavers at best. Circle the name on the calendar - not the puncher the 17 wins with 15 whacks reflects. Word on Walton is “Retire” pronto!

• Jermell Charlo: age 19, nice skills, looks polished - but at light-middleweight, or when maturing to 160, the shortage of punching power may abort the progress from prospect to contender.  

•  Federico Flores: age 21 - at this point has club fighter scribbled all over him.

• Deontay Wilder: age 23, big in size at 6’ 7" - the old cliché “rough around the corners” is being polite. That Olympic bronze medal translates to third best. Young enough to improve the technique but don’t bet on it. Had himself the classic “gimme” in Arnold who folded in opening stanza.

• Kelsey Arnold:  at a now 1-3, 2 KO, is time to get outta Dodge. 

GEL