Wednesday night fights over ESPN2 came to us fans from good ol' Louisiana country - translation, referee Laurence Cole working the feature mismatch and some oddball in the opener that shall remain nameless.  

On that note, let me toss in that all went as choreographed - highly rated albeit still untested in a now thirteen kept appointments, Cuban amateur star Erislandy Lara - made short work of journeyman Willie Lee, who went quietly at the 1:48 mark of opening stanza. 

Lara now IBF junior middleweight rated #11 which is fine here - on paper looks to me at age 27, the brain trust is readying to move the slick port side slinging Cuban up a few rungs for title timber test. Goods for starters, and about time the unbeaten one is in with legitimate opponent. 

Last evening, Willie Lee at 17-6, 11 KO’s  entered on TKO3 loss while looking for a pay check - the age 30 veteran is clearly on the wrong side of the slope - opening bell with Lara having knockout on the mind - it’s a sizzling straight left hand to the chin that wobbled the knees, followed by a right hook with just enough on it to drop Lee to the canvas. 

Lee manages to get to his feet but has all the fight removed as he backs to the ropes in peek-a-boo fashion - Lara is then quickly all over his wounded prey with a barrage of punches. Referee Laurence Cole saw no return from Lee and calls it a night at the 1:48 mark of the stanza. 

Lara goes to 13-0, 8 KOs and is expected to be tested in next outing, as the clock waits for nobody. 

Willie Lee drops to 17-7, 11 KOs which is nice enough resumé for club fighters, which at a now age 30, is where the Gulfport, Mississippi veteran has now been reduced to. 

Semi-final light heavy battle of unbeaten opened the show with Cuban Yordanis Despaigne (6-0, 4 KOs) facing Colombian Frank Paines at 11-0, 9 KOs. 

So much for job applications, as Despaigne quickly takes control from the start - size advantage plus the more polished in skills department, he drops Paine In stanza two courtesy of left hook. 

Continues all Despaigne after four candles - then Paine, helped by one of them inadvertent “meeting of the minds grabs numero cinco” as the Cuban rides out the round protecting a nasty cut over the right orbit. 

Despaigne displays quality to go with the overall superior skills as he once again takes control over the final five stanzas - strong enough to reach the wire far ahead of a game but outgunned Paine. 

Post Scripts: Yordanis Despaigne (7-0, 4 KOs)  - premature after seven bouts to guess how far this kid can go - Light heavy division no picnic.
                     Frank Paines ((11-1, 9 KOs) age 28 - tough kid to make it to the final bell - not big enough puncher and in need of improved skills at this time.      

Post Scripts: Referee department: Prelim referee a stranger - don’t ask the name - guy is clueless - worked close enough to the combatants that he caught a couple of Paine'[s left hooks. Lousy third man in charge but showed a good chin. Almost made Laurence Cole look decent - but got help from Lara taking out Lee early in opening stanza.