A long ago Broadway shout once went "There’s no biz like show biz, like no biz I know" - on that note, welcome to the Dunkin’ Donut Center at frozen Providence, Rhode Island, with popular local "Contenders" graduate Peter Manfredo meeting something of a pugilistic cadaver in Scott Pemberton in the main event.

Took no more than the opening three minutes of ring action to see that age 39 Pemberton had been left naked after last year’s ill-fated knockout defeat at the hands of power punching Jeff Lacy - and it took little time for hometown Peter to seize the opportunity.

The younger and quicker Manfredo tossed caution to the wind in candle two, and come stanza three a big left hook wobbled Pemberton - and with it a non-stop barrage of power punches followed - the crusher a big right uppercut that dropped his prey - the second knockdown closed the show with referee Dick Flaherty waving it off at the 2:06 mark.

So, what do we now have, with the ESPN "The Contestant" oriented shills seeing this one playing out like choreography? The post-fight talk with Brian "No Clue" Kenny and last year "Contenders" winner Sergio Mora, translated to an upcoming meeting with Manfredo - the site you ask - why, good old Little Rhode Island where else?

Ok, Manfredo did his part - cannot fault a single action during the one-sided eight minutes and six seconds worth - quickness from both sides, and working both the body and head clearly spoke of improvement to what he has shown in the past.

But, before engraving the report card in granite - be aware that last noche’s superb performance was while facing a foe that should have retired after the Lacy disaster. More importantly, the emergence of young Manfredo became public during the "Contenders" TV version of professional boxing - clearly an exercise of 5-rounder semi-pro offerings at best.

Manfredo goes to 25-3, 11 by KO; Pemberton drops to 29-5-1, 24 KO’s and hopefully out of sight.

Prelim six-rounder a middleweight affair with Miguel Angel Espino facing Dorien Beaupierre, that saw the age 25 former "Contender" Espino outworking Beaupierre to the tune of 59-55, 58-56, 58-56 - my unofficial had it Espino 59-55 in points and 5-1 under round by round system.

Espino the busier albeit short on clout - and Beaupierre lived up to the sobriquet  "Quiet Storm" to the letter.

Espino goes to 11-2-1, 4 KO ( losses came to Manfredo & Edouard) - Beaupierre now age 30 drops to 12-3-2, 6 KO.

Closing Comments: With Manfredo reportedly weighing at 180 pounds and Pemberton at 182, after a two day break from official weigh-in to fight night for a scheduled and announced super-middleweight, begs for answers.
One question here is, was the small brained little Rhode Island commission out shoveling snow during the blizzard that postponed the fight an additional day, and conveniently let it fly? What pray tell, would the answers be, if one of the fighters was a legit 100% 165-168 pounder while the other a blown up cruiserweight in size?

Nice seeing one of my all time favorites Ray Leonard looking in the pink and discussing the summer (ESPN) Contenders two, or something - this one will feature welterweights - small light in the tunnel is the great game of boxing will get some Hollywood help. And we need all we can get these days.

GEL -

Questions? Comments? Email George Elsasser

2-14-06

 

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