Last nite’s ESPN2 WNF tour found its way uptown, to “Oh “Canada” country of Vancouver, BC for a super/welter main event - with all eyes on contender Joel Julio in with former sitcom “Contender” Ishe Smith.

Julio a celebrated power puncher, ranked as high as numero cuatro among the IBF field - Smith unranked, but while short on clout, is skill-proven stylish counter puncher.

End result, with Julio improving to 33-1, 30 KOs and Smith dropping to 19-3, 9 KOs translates to a Julio romp via unanimous decision of 97-93, 96-94, 96-94. My unofficial agreed with 96-94 in points and 6-4 under round by round method.

Julio the quicker at the start and tossing power punches targeting both body and head - Ishe mostly in defensive mode, but handles the incoming while showing flashes of counters behind jab and straight right hands - just not busy enough.

It is all Julio over the five front side stanzas - then Smith becomes competitive over six, seven, eight - but an inability to sustain it to the finish line sees him come up short in winning numbers.

Post Scripts:

• Joel Julio ~ age 23, with a single debit to welter champion Carlos Quintana back in 2006, has shown title potential at s/welter - the nine months hiatus since his July 2007 stoppage of Cornelius Bundrage, has been to balance natural power with improved technical skills. Jury still out -  still in need of seasoning.

• Ishe Smith ~ age 29 not the big factor. Has the skills, and proven chin construction, the punching power not as anemic as rap sheet may imply. Motivation appears to be the missing ingredient. 

Rest of the story: Joel Julio, still a proverbial baby in age, has several senior citizen  belt holders to consider in (WBC) Vernon Forrest, (WBA) Joachim Alcine; (IBF) Verno Phillips - still, no real rush for the gold until more complete package.   

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