The ESPN FNF team took a pit stop at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida for a double dip showcase of super/middleweight contenders Edison Miranda and Jean Pascal - and all went as expected - well, almost.  

Show opens with a confident Pascal calling all the shots with opponent Omar Pittman playing it close to the vest - the speed in all departments belonged to the Haitian native now calling “Oh Canada” home. Then stanza two, a Pascal left hook drops Pittman and all looked fine as wine for the kiddie channel commentator crew of Atlas-Tessitore. 

Only surprise after six Pascal dominated stanzas was in seeing the selected one still around - my unofficial had Pascal tossing a shutout. Then numero seven, and a surprising moment of truth for Pascal and his supporters - as he is tagged with a Pittman “Hail Mary” left hook when backing from close quarters with the hands down.       

Talk about a turnaround - the touted one being groomed for a spring date with Miranda, is now seen giving it a Haitian version of the yesteryear “hucklebuck” - and talk about a morale booster, it’s now Pittman in role reversal as Pascal is doin’ the holding.    

Round eight it’s Pittman in search of a needed knockout - and Pascal in a fite version of the football  prevent defense while operating on shaky legs. Then late in the round a Pittman right hand and Pascal once again wobbled.  

Luckily, Pascal once again found the missing legs and would take control over stanzas nine and ten. 

Goes the distance with Pascal earning the unanimous decision 98-91, 98-91, 97-92 - my take agreed 98-91 in points and 8-2 in rounds. 

Post Scripts: Jean Pascal (21-0, 14 KOs) ~ young enough at 25 to tighten things up. Has birth given natural quickness and the tools to grow into serious title timber. But this one raised questions that need answering as he moves up to the next rung. No knock, the close calls in stanzas seven and eight - only that the chin may be the Achilles tendon. Time will tell, but just maybe the hyped Miranda springtime date is a premature one.
                     Omar Pittman ( 15-4-1, 8 KOs) ~ age 25 - future is a decent career working the small club venues - fits in nicely among the ESPN-Telefutura - ShoBox productions. Hopefully will benefit from the two big stanzas he claimed. Needed a boost in confidence. 

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Feature attraction fit the pre-fight expectations - Edison Miranda vs. David Banks was as predictable as death and taxes - Miranda, a proven tough Colombian hombre, in with a soft-punching Banks that entered with no more than two KO wins in his 20th kept appointment. 

Curtain opens with Miranda stalking his prey behind a repeater left jab - he then ever so slightly picks up the tempo in round two - then stanza three with Banks backing to the ropes is caught with a picture perfect right hand bomb. 

Banks falls backwards to and through strands three and four to the outside ring apron - fortunately he was helped by a few sitting at the apron from falling head first to the floor. 

Time of knockout (announced as TKO) 1:15 mark of stanza three. 

Closing Comments: Edison Miranda (30-2, 25 KO) ~ physically at prime age 27 - the only clear loss to Kelly Pavlik in a proverbial war when at middleweight. In this one, the opening two rounds showed a hint he’s worked on technique. No banzai openers when facing a no-threat puncher as he worked a slow pace stalk behind the jab. Then round three and seeing Banks with nowhere to hide, he drops the big one flush on the jaw and lights out. In a multi-title belted today system Miranda could well grab one for his own. Good pairing for my taste is to put a hold on any Pascal affair and talk business with Allan Green. Makes more dollars and “sense.” 

                             David Banks ( 15-4-1, 2 KO) ~ age 24 but no realistic hope for future serious recognition. Major culprit is the lack of fire power. Clearly, in this one a lamb led to slaughter.  

Respective referees played no part in either fight - Frank Gentile assigned to Pascal-Pittman. worked an uneventful assignment that could have been contested without a third man in charge. Ditto Telles Assimenio who was in attendance for the Miranda knockout - not sure why the count when it was clear Pittman was KO’d and would not be continuing once again on his feet.