Sharkie’s Machine

By Frank Gonzalez Jr.

January 12, 2008

“Miranda vs. Banks and Pascal vs. Pittman on FNF”

Edison “Pantera” Miranda (30-2, 26 KO’s) vs. The Contender’s David Banks (15-4-1, 2 KO’s) was the featured Main Event for FNF last night.

Miranda disposed of David Banks in three rounds via knockout. Banks proved to be a pretty decent boxer. Miranda looked slow early on as he sized up his opponent. I thought Banks scored the better shots (the only shots) in the first round and did some good counter punching to win the second round.

In the third round, Miranda caught Banks up against the ropes and landed a clean right hand straight into Bank's face that saw him fall through the ropes awkwardly, almost looked as though he might snap in half the way he fell backward.

Miranda had won by knockout and was facing the crowd, hands raised in victory when suddenly, Jean Pascal, who was sitting at ring-side, began to taunt him and Miranda motioned to him. Pascal started to call him out on the spot, saying, “We can do this right now, right here!”

Miranda smartly ignored Pascal’s stupidity and continued to celebrate his win. If they meet in the ring, as they supposedly will, I expect Miranda will knock him out cold, probably in the first few rounds.

Pascal’s best asset seems to be his mouth. Miranda’s best asset is his power and panther like aggression during exchanges. Pascal is a big talker. Miranda is a serious banger. He has fought better fighters and I can’t wait to see him put Pascal in his place—the canvas.  

The undercard featured Jean Pascal, whose record of 21-0, 14 KO’s, indicates that he has never fought a quality fighter yet but is being groomed with a fluffy record. His opponent was Omar Pittman, whose record of 15-4-1, 8 KO’s, means he is a ‘made to order’ fighter. This ‘arranged’ fight was scheduled for ten rounds. It went the distance with an interesting ebb and flow.

In the first round, Pascal was full of nervous energy, bouncing all over the ring and rarely landing a punch, while Omar Pittman, the obvious underdog, plodded forward, jabbing and actually scoring better than the energetic Pascal. Pittman punched Pascal, who went backwards and his glove touched the canvas. That was ruled a slip. I thought it was a real favorable call for the favorite, Jean Pascal. Technically, it was a knockdown. I thought that Pittman won the first round but you know how it goes, the favorite almost always gets the nod for the first round.

In the second round, Pittman was pushed and tripped up by Pascal and slipped awkwardly to the canvas. The referee, Frank Gentile, called it a knockdown. I thought it was a real favorable call for Pascal. He was the favorite. As I watched Pascal bounce around the ring, throwing wide punches, wasting too much energy to do so little, I got the notion that somehow, Pittman would maybe get lucky and knock him out.

Pascal showboated in spots as he dominated the action from rounds three through six.

As the fight progressed, Pittman was showing less and less interest in winning the fight as he allowed the sloppily skilled Pascal to do most of the punching and scoring. I knew what kind of fight this was; the kind that makes Princes out of Frogs. Pittman was there to lose and hopefully, make Pascal look good in the process. Fate had another script in mind.

Suddenly, in the seventh round, Pascal was working Pittman in the corner ropes when Pittman started to rally, throwing left hooks followed by rights and finally, a left hook that tagged Pascal’s chin and staggered him backwards. Pascal was hurt and Pittman went after him. Pascal held every time Pittman came to him. Pascal kept moving back, holding when he had to and survived the round. If Pittman was a hair sharper, it would have been over.

In the eighth, Pittman tested Pascal with some early aggression but ultimately allowed Pascal to regain his legs and clear the cobwebs. Pittman’s confidence was on the rise as he pressed Pascal, who ran, ran and ran some more. Pascal has a tendency to punch and then pull back with his hands down. Unfortunately, Pittman couldn’t catch him and finish what he started.

By the ninth round, Pascal retook the lead, landing some decent shots as he bounced around, jabbing and throwing an occasional right. Pittman must’ve been still buzzing from winning the last two rounds that he thought he was Roy Jones Jr. with his left hand so low it was touching his thigh. He wasn’t punching enough to win the round either.

In the tenth, Pascal circled around Pittman, jabbing and scoring. Pittman managed to land a few shots but the momentum was fully in Pascal’s control. As the final round wound down, Pittman did very little other than allowing Pascal to flurry at the end and win the final round. It felt like a fix but I realize it was more of an “arrangement,” that Pittman—was there to lose.

Pittman showed some heart and some power. If he were a pinch more aggressive, he’d be an exciting fighter. I hope he learns from this experience and comes back better next time up.

For Jean Pascal, who talks bigger than he fights, I can’t wait to see him fight Edison Miranda, who will teach him the true nature of the force.

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