Last noche’s ESPN FNF offering could well have arrived from tank towns Gardnerville, Nevada, Conchee, Oklahoma, Austin, Texas, Auburn Hills, Michigan or any New England venue of your choice - and on that note, welcome Tacoma, Washington.

No rap at the fighters intended, opened with a ten round cruiserweight brawl featuring undefeated Tacoma hopeful Chad Van Sickle and from Mead, Washington Luke Munsen and was followed by veteran Emmett Linton and Dorian Beaupierre.

The beef here is still another butchered, fraudulent job of ring officiating, beginning with referee Robert "The Horrible" Howard doing the semi final.

Took no more than a few seconds into the opening stanza and Robert gets the attention … in style this latest lunatic resembles a mannequin secured by wire-thin cables and operated from above by someone hidden high in the casino rafters.

And what we get over the early going is a herky-jerky sort of jerk, up close and personal to the combatants who show limited skills, but mucho willingness once the opening round jitters left.

Ongoing warnings from a fool much too close to the action to see what's going on … scolds for hitting on the break when he never once breaks them … all verbal this guy from start to finis.

Action affair is all even on my unofficial over six candles … Munsen off balance is dropped by an innocent jab in stanza eight … Van Sickle down and in trouble in candle nine courtesy of a big right hand … later in round he takes a knee while taking no punches and the "Horrible" one lets it ride.

And then the scorecards … my call is 94-94 in points and 5-5 in rounds and a well deserved draw. Official hometown trio opted for Van Sickle via unanimous decision 95-93, 96-92, 95-93.

No official word whether any of the scorers were swayed by the hometown Tacoma Van Sickel P. O. Box … or if the moonlighting Casino bartending gig had a bearing on this one.

Post scripts: Van Sickel: remains undefeated but that round nine visit to the canvas will likely have some long term affects. Is a now 18-0-2, 10 by KO, but even at a young age 26 in a weak cruiserweight division I see no future.   
                      Munsen: has a legit beef with the verdict  … showed better boxing technique than Van Sickel but is also more amateur than professional. If continuing he should be mandated to small town USA fight venues.
                      The Munsen corner: poolroom drinking buddies perhaps? Stanza two they send Luke out without a mouthpiece … Luke only notices after a minute of doing battle.
                      Ref. Howard: I’ll be polite; Hello Conchee, Oklahoma!
                      Suspected man in the rafters: Could use better skills in manipulating them cables or the secret will be out.

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Main event a very entertaining affair with veteran Emmett Linton besting a very decent opponent in Dorian Beaupierre over ten busy rounds of competitive boxing.

Linton, a young age 33, enjoyed the advantages of experience and working from the port side to outscore Beaupierre over most of the hotly contested candles.

With the win Linton is now at 32-3-2, 15 KO’s while Beaupierre drops to 11-2-2, 5 KO’s … neither a big banger but Linton clearly capable of sharing the ring with most of the rated middleweights.

Scoring went yours truly seeing it Linton 97-92 and/or 8-2 in round by round method. Official tallies were unanimous for Linton 97-93, 96-93, 98-92.

Closing Comments:  Referee Jeff Macaluso ~ Classic blunder in opening stanza was in calling a knockdown against Linton when he was pushed to the canvas. Any tutoring class for officials emphasize from day one to only make calls you see … not what you think may have happened. Anyway, this dummy is step or two above "Horrible" Howie … and if not Conchee, maybe a stint at Gardnerville is in order.

GEL  

7-30-2004