Ray Oliveira bested Canadian Bryon Mackie by majority vote decision on last noche's semi to the Hall-Letterlough main event ... and showed he can still fight ... problem now is them 56 trips to the watering hole.

Have always liked the work of the one called "Sucra" ... a no-nonsense warrior with a glittering 45-9-2, 21 KO’s while facing both good ones and special entities as well ... and walking away the proud battler he is.

But at age 34, and finding a Bryon Mackie of 21-8 with 5 starches on the resume a bit of a struggle, translates to a graffiti message on that proverbial wall ... he wins last night and more convincing than how the scoring went - 97-93, 98-92 and (95-95)? - regardless, the game Canuck would never have been around at the end versus the prime time Oliveira.

And that is where the Oliveira story now lies ... should call it a no-mas - am sure Teddy Atlas meant well in shouting for an Oliveira title bout out of some distorted appreciation factor.

My read to that goes, "With friends like that who needs enemies."

Semper fi,