The Joey-Tessie barnstorming duo found quaint old Brockton, Mass a more comfortable setting than its past Tuesday adventure to sweltering Memphis, TN where the entire cast nearly melted under 100-plus temps.

The swap of outdoor venues for last noche’s FNF offering coughed up what was standard fare for the small club fight scene - and when the curtain dropped, it was Rodney Toney, Mike Oliver and Anthony Russell bringing home the proverbial bacon.

Main event light heavyweight action saw Rodney Toney (age 37) besting James "African X-press" Lubwama (age 36) in a sloppy affair, albeit an "A for effort" contest of contrasting styles.

All Toney over the front side of stanzas one thru five - the key, a looping right hand finding the southpaw target - Lubwama the edge in slow opening round but overly cautious in style - reminders of the sobriquet finally register, and the switch from local to express track come candle six.

Second half action more spirited as Toney shows signs of fatigue - still, it goes two rounds apiece over the final stanzas - official scoring has it unanimous for Toney 100-91, 97-93, 96-95.

This neutral corner had it Toney 96-94 in points and 6-4 under round by round method.

Post Scripts ~ Neither fighter has anything resembling the yesterday years at middle-super middle. Both now running out the string, with Toney resumé nice on paper at 28-4-4, 17 stoppages but little else, and Lubwama 16-3-2, with 9 KOs.

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Scheduled eight round semi-final saw jr. featherweights Mike Oliver and Darby Smart in a mauling meeting of southpaws, that was halted late in stanza seven due to nasty cut over left eye of brawler Smart.

If portside vs. orthodox translates to confusion, a pairing of southpaws magnifies the problem. Joey-Tessie talking up the Oliver amateur pedigree as if some sort of pugilistic gospel - but while caught up with the propaganda, miss the Oliver vital shortages.

Yes, the 25 year young undefeated Oliver (9-0) looks poster perfect when left alone - but the age 35 Smart exposed the pedigreed one with a constant, nasty brawling, alley-fight approach -  and lo and behold, they didn’t play that game in the amateurs.

Still, it’s Oliver up 4-1-1 in rounds after six, over a bankrupt skilled Smart that halves candle six courtesy of point deduction for roughing - only positive for Darby Smart who drops to 7-2, 2 KOs is he comes to fight with no questions asked.

Post Scripts: Mike Oliver ~ Lack of toughness when unable to do the dictating, a flaw that will catch up with him when facing serious opponents … the jr. feather market is not for whiners. With all the cloud cover courtesy of Atlas - and Tessie riding the coat tails - the undefeated kid spent as much time looking for referee help than solving the puzzle in his face.
                      Darby Smart ~ The seven prior wins have to be result of home cooking … tough yes, skills no. Physically strong and mean but punching power nowhere in sight.

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Six round Cruiserweight  pairing saw Anthony Russell (age 20) 9-1-1, 1 KO scoring split decision win over Anterio Vines (age 21) 4-6-1, 1 KO  … ironically, opinion here is the losing Vines is the far better technician of the two.

Official scoring went Russell 59-55, 58-56 - Vines 59-57 - it was that type of a battle. This neutral corner had it Russell 59-56 in points and 4-1-1 in round by round method.

Post Scripts: Russell ~ Tall and lean … no jab, no clout … in desperate need of schooling on the deliveries. Everything is arm punches. Game enough but more than a target - future accident sure as sin.
                      Vines ~ Either very stupid, or lazy … much better skills than the 4-5-1 resumé implies. This one should have been piece of cake. Surrenders final three stanzas as fatigue arrives much too early. Bottom line on future begins come next start … needs first to put in the gym hours and road work. Will then know "the rest of the story."

Closing Comments ~ Hard to believe veteran fight trainer as Atlas - very opinionated I might add - can miss the obvious. Styles make fights is more than simple cliché … it is factual. Thus, when orthodox-southpaw share the ring it is "inadvertent" time. To go off on a tantrum with caddie Joey is inexcusable. The Oliver-Smart affair exposed shortcomings of Atlas, and to no surprise, Tessitore - after shouting for point deductions and/or a DQ to the Smart "billygoating" the duet applaud Oliver for helping Smart untangle when snared between upper two strands - missing was how Smart was in the predicament in first place - arose courtesy of Oliver spinning and shoving Smart thru the strands.

Point is pro boxing is a fight while amateur game is a sport … amateurs perform in protective gear with comparable pillows … keep it clean is the today motto. Bad enough Compu-Box has polluted the pro game - wouldn’t surprise this ancient fight follower to hear the next intrusion is a "no bending or weaving" ala amateur game.

GEL