The last nite ESPN FNF feature took an unexpected turn for the worst, when its  undefeated 22-0-2, 14 prematurely touted prospect Yusef Mack, found himself on the express rails facing an oncoming freight in Colombian Alejandro Berrio.

The pre-fight media exposure had clearly gotten to the previously undefeated 26 year old Mack, and with little prodding, boasted of being best of all the big middleweights - promised after Berrio, he would invade Europe and cleanse the division of the Calzaghe, Kessler, Beyer title holders - and return home with all the trinkets.

Didn’t help much when the Tessitore - Atlas dialogue more than hinted the  Bolivian works with a severe handicap - an imported chin from the orient - as proof they tossed in a clip of Berrio being starched by transplanted Russian from Germany, Robert Stieglitz.

That bit of help not  the best of choices - the Stieglitz right hand that took Berrio out was as major league as it gets - and sure enough, the Mack-Berrio action prior to stanza six, showed Alejandro handling the entire Mack arsenal with zero ill effects while answering with serious salvos of his own.

Entering closing chapter six, the respective demeanor saw Berrio the more confident while Mack appeared weakening - and then, at  2:31 mark, time for Berrio the bomber to tuck the pampered one in - first a big overhand right drops Mack - then the finale, an inside right uppercut backed with a stronger yet left uppercut.

The reaction caught referee James Warring (on an off-nite) by surprise - enough so, that after finishing the eight count, and unsure whether Mack could continue, he calls time while escorting the wounded one to a corner in seek of second opinion. Amazing! Medicine man quickly calls it no-mas.

Closing Comments: Yusef Mack (22-1-2, 14 KOs) ~ another poster boy for the connected, albeit rushed entities, suddenly tasting reality after being nurtured on pugilistic pabulum. Young enough, and has decent clout to do well at the club fight level, but a bad bet when facing the no-quit pit bull variety.
                                  Alejandro Berrio (25-4, 24 KOs) ~ the "bad chin" label clearly unfair - held up fine during early candles when Mack found a home for his power punches. The major albatross, with no cure, while busy is too predictable with his  working in the trenches style -  but only the top dogs need apply.

Post Scripts ~  Past lightweight champion Ray "Boom-Boom" Mancini worked well with Brian "No Clue" at the studio - kept it on the light side - and was on the target with analysis. The Atlas pre-fite do’s and don’t’s while doing the shtick with a live mannequin has gone stale. Toss it back to "No Clue" where it served a better purpose - as in humor.

GEL -    

Questions? Comments?   Email George Elsasser

5-19-2006