The Thursday Night Versus twin-bill from Reading,
Pennsylvania saw former heavyweight champ Hasim Rahman returning home with the
NABF minor league strap following a final stanza ten TKO of short notice Zuri
Lawrence - but more on that one later.
While the heavies topped the card in what proved a sloppy
affair with neither fighter a legit threat to any of the big division
shareholders, the welterweight semi-final saved the night with a thriller that
went the distance.
No sooner the opening bell it’s Jesus Soto-Karass and Juan
Manuel Buendia in a hotly contested affair that would be waged in the trenches
from start to finish - still, a couple hints as to the eventual winner surfaced
over the early action.
Karass the better in text-book technique and Buendia limited
to one dimensional crowd pleasing style while working without a plan B to fall
back on.
Maybe Buendia claims round one - gets the edge on making
contact with wild winging telegraphed power punches from both sides - that’s the
good news - bad news is Karass gets the message that his chin can handle
whatever incoming finds the target.
Then stanza two with Karass seemingly comfortable at close
quarters - a picture perfect left hook finds the mark and Buendia is down -
beats the count but is clearly in over his head.
A recovered Buendia nips a careless Karass in stanza three
who, while in search of the knockout is available - and after five rounds of
this scorching ten rounder it’s a coin flip on my unofficial - than the back
side with Karass rocking Buendia in round six.
The outgunned Buendia, wobbled in six courtesy of right
uppercut and battling with a closing right eye would hang tough down to the
final bell - and to his credit the kid survived a final ten Karass left hook and
looping right hand that had him on weak underpinnings.
Official numbers had it Soto-Karass to the tune of 98-91,
98-91, 97-92 - my unofficial saw it Karass 96-93 in points and 6-4 in rounds.
Post Scripts: Karass (18-3-3, 14 KO) ~ age 25 @5’10” - left
hook-left uppercut the real deal - chin rock solid. Single debit is not using
the height and reach edge behind a jab - without the stinger to set up the power
the future is today. Good action club fighter.
Buendia (14-2, 8KO) ~ age 26 - lack of technique coupled
with shortage of legit punching power cannot survive the next rung of the
ladder. A club fight main event qualifier on true grit alone.
Referee Blair Tallmadge ~ passing grades … let's them fight.
………………………………................................................................................................
Then The Rahman-Lawrence main event - old news now, it was
Rahman by final round ten TKO - and on paper the NABF heavyweight champ puts
himself in line for IBF Wlad Klitschko self destruct.
Yesterday is yesterday, and the highlight of his career
remains that first meeting knockout win of Lennox Lewis to grab the big title -
still, that win turned out to be the proverbial one night stand.
The “Rock”; KO winner or not, is yesterday's news and has no
shot against the today share holders of the big crown - Lawrence arrives on
3-days notice with rap sheet of 23 wins, 12 losses with four standoffs - and
KO’s you ask? Zero, none, zilch - toss in age 37 and you have to wonder if the
Pennsylvania Commission is outta town.
Rahman now at 45-6-2, 36 KOs - the stoppage was fair enough -
short notice Lawrence was surviving on fumes and hands at his side and
defenseless when hack referee Gary Rosato pulled the plug. No argument here. But
the rest of the Rahman story is against quality. He’s road kill. No reflexes or
decent reaction to incoming.
Lawrence drops to 23-13-4, zero KO’s scored and taking this assignment on three
day notice is criminal - not the fighter, but all others connected. Did his best
with pitter-patter offense and not a chin in sight.
Referees in charge - Edge goes to Blair Tallmadge - far
better feel than main eventer Gary Rosato. Enuf said.
Ringside voices with the play by play: Pleasant surprise
seeing Barry Tompkins working this assignment. Thought his retirement to back
home California few years back was permanent. A good one that should be
recruited by HBO. Less said about Versus fixture Wally Mathews the better.
