Last night, the ESPN2 kiddie channel delivered us fight fans a couple of strangers in the night for our entertainment. In one corner we get defending WBA Light Heavyweight champion Beibut Shumenov defending against its #2 ranked Vyacheslav Uzelkov. 

Only in America, or rather, under the today four sanctioning bodies system, do we have a defending champion with a ten bout job application facing a numero dos challenger arriving undefeated at 22-0, 15 KOs.   

Then the opening bell with Shumenov the busier of the two over most of the stanza - suddenly, like a bolt out of the proverbial blue it’s a Uzelkov counter left hook finding the sweet spot and the champ is down. No serious damage done and the kid from Kazakhstan closes the stanza on the offense. 

Shumenov has himself a good round two - continues his way during round three - and during the closing seconds a big right hand lands flush, and it’s a wiggle in the walk and a short pause before Uzelkov falls flat on his back. 

Apparently, out California way, a fighter cannot be saved by the bell - so young, third man in charge Jon Schorle starts the count -  the game Ukraine beats the numbers and the show continues on to the full twelve candles. 

Scoring judges saw it unanimous Shumenov 118-108, 118-108, 117-109 - my unofficial agreed 118-108 in points and 11-1 under the round by round method. 

Closing comments: Beibut Shumenov (10-1, 6 KO) ~ age 26 - is clear them former Soviet Satellites spawned some tough cookies - the Uzelkov round one left-hook that dropped the kid was major league - but Shumenov quickly turned things around come round two. However, scanning the field at 175 the question is just how ready Beibut is for the tried and proven names waiting in the proverbial bush. Hopkins, Chad Dawson, Glen Johnson - along with a Jean Pascal and Tavoris Cloud to name a few. Stay tuned, the kid comes to wage battle.
                              Vyacheslav Uzelkov (22-1, 15 KO) ~ age 31 - gave it a shot early - biggest flaw is going with the peek-a-boo while the clock was ticking - showed true grit when solid right hand had him on queer street in stanza three and managed to stay the course to the finish line. Not a serious title threat judging off last noche. 

ESPN2 FNF production: The Teddy Atlas keys to victory has gone sour - fight version of odorous food gone bad. There he was on a solo flight - he’s Uzelkov with the peek-a-boo stance, then Shumenov - he’s here, he’s there, quicker than a prime Ray Leonard flailing at nothing but air with furious flurries. Good grief!
On and off, the viewer is treated with Brian “No Clue” Kenny in role of “Private Dick” - searching for answers from both Atlas and guest studio host of the night on the why and wherefore of Mayweather walking away from a Pacquiao mega-money fight.  

My plea to the kiddie channel is just give the fight fans the fight of the week, and keep the expert dialogue to the minimum - too much gatlin-gun jockeying for position is like too many chefs that spoil a soup.