The International Boxing League

[Romdawg88]

Damn, tough break for Moe there. Man, Zale is just a beast he's going to be tough to beat. Is Moe the first forum character to lose? I know there was a draw but I don't remember if anyone has lost yet.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Damn, tough break for Moe there. Man, Zale is just a beast he's going to be tough to beat. Is Moe the first forum character to lose? I know there was a draw but I don't remember if anyone has lost yet.

Unfortunately, he is. I'm now starting to worry for Scott, Javier and my buddy Yamada.

Zale is like some sort of non-stop, untiring, punching guy.*

* (Simpsons reference)

[Ric915]

Awesome Stuff so far KC. Tough draw for Moe Getting Zale in his debut. I'm sure he'll bounce back

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Ric915

Awesome Stuff so far KC. Tough draw for Moe Getting Zale in his debut. I'm sure he'll bounce back

Thanks, Ric. Here's Mr. Ketchel's debut...

(continuation of post #280)

"He was just too aggressive for me," lamented Moe afterwards. "I spent so much time defending and absorbing his shots that I had nothing left to throw at him."

The Missouri slugger was clearly shattered by the defeat, looking stunned during the interview.

"I'm feelin' kinda numb right now," he said. "I never contemplated losing this fight and the way it's happened ... I'm finding it hard to believe. I know the guy was a bronze medallist but I just felt so confident when I stepped through those ropes, you know? I guess I'll have to re-evaluate how far along I am."

Zale's showing will only strengthen the case of those who believe he can win the World Championship. His level of fitness was remarkable, allowing him to work at an incredible rate for most of the fight. It will be interesting to see who he's matched up against in series two.

***

The evening had now reached its midpoint and in a surprise for the audience, legendary guitarist and Pittsburgh native George Benson made his way to the ring accompanied by a bass player and percussionist. They received a warm welcome before launching into brilliant stripped-down versions of some of his biggest hits including "Give Me The Night", "Turn Your Love Around" and "On Broadway". The thirty minute set had the crowd on their feet applauding, dancing and clapping along, Benson proving that at the age of 59, he's still a marvellous musician. The trio departed to a standing ovation, Benson waving and smiling to the crowd.

***

Support Bout

One of the combatants that many in attendance were looking forward to seeing was Michigan's Stanley Ketchel. Now one week short of his eighteenth birthday, he'd made a huge impression during June's Indianapolis selection trials, his extroverted, kooky personality matched by his aggressive disposition and punching power when in the ring. Ketchel's intense training workouts and his even more intense rivalry with Wisconsin native Jake Morrison were the highlights of those Conseco Fieldhouse trials and the Polish-born slugger's debut was one of the most anticipated bouts from the entire first week of IBL competition.

His opponent could not have been a more polar opposite: respectful and modest, Minnesota's Mike O'Dowd will have to rely more on his technical ability and intellect rather than any physical traits if he wants to succeed in this tournament. He's a gifted boxer, no doubt, but his chances of taking out opponents with a series of devastating right hand bombs are not good. Going up against Ketchel on debut was by no means an ideal career start but O'Dowd looked calm and collected as he prowled the ring in the moments before the opening bell.

Bringing the crowd to their feet, Ketchel had made his way to the ring dressed in black and accompanied by the heavy metal onslaught of Metallica's "Battery". Once between the ropes he flipped off his hood to reveal a freshly-shaven pate. He smiled and winked to the crowd, left fist raised, before regarding his opponent with an unsettling gaze for a good ten seconds. O'Dowd stared right back at him, unwavering, before Ketchel's trainer called him back to his corner.

Most experts were predicting a difficult night for O'Dowd and those beliefs were confirmed within the opening minute of the fight when he was sent to the canvas with the first punch that Ketchel landed, a crushing uppercut that had the Minnesota native on his backside and the crowd on their feet. O'Dowd pushed himself up at three, leaning on the ropes for support as he looked at Ketchel with a perturbed expression on his face. Like a shark smelling blood in the water Ketchel came in for the kill but his initial attempts at finishing his man off were rushed, haphazard and inaccurate. It wasn't until later in the round where Ketchel was able to land some really telling blows with a solid cross followed almost immediately by another one of those smashing uppercuts. O'Dowd connected with an uppercut of his own just before the bell but there was little behind it and he returned to his corner on unsteady legs. The crowd had been right in Ketchel's corner and they applauded enthusiastically as he shouted and pounded his chest, a wild quality in his eyes.

O'Dowd looked visibly shaken and, dare I say it, scared as he sat on his stool, breathing heavily. He came out for round two but one could only wonder why as Ketchel was on him within moments of the bell. A smashing left hook landed flush on O'Dowd's jaw, chased by a left-right salvo and then a right hook that snapped O'Dowd's head around: all this within the opening minute. O'Dowd tried to keep Ketchel at bay with the jab but it was a hopeless, feeble effort. Ketchel simply walked through the punches and then dropped his man for a second time, a right rip to the ribcage bringing a grimace from O'Dowd. He fell to one knee, clutching at his side. He was up at eight but it was clear that the end was near.

Ketchel came in once more, a sledgehammer-like straight right careening off O'Dowd's cheekbone. Ketchel unleashed that chopping left-right salvo again, merciless in his assault. As the round entered its final minute O'Dowd was at his mercy. A left hook backed O'Dowd into a neutral corner and when Ketchel moved in and unleashed a straight right, a left hook and another straight right (this one catching O'Dowd right on the forehead) referee David Smoger had seen enough. He pulled Ketchel away and embraced the battered, beaten Minnesotan, calling the fight over at the 2:37 mark.

(to be continued)

[Romdawg88]

Holy crap, I was looking forward to this match thinking it be a great hard fought match and yeah I was horribly wrong about that. Ketchel looked scary good man I can't wait for him and Zale to match up that will be a total war. Also, I like Stanley's choice in entrance music.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Holy crap, I was looking forward to this match thinking it be a great hard fought match and yeah I was horribly wrong about that. Ketchel looked scary good man I can't wait for him and Zale to match up that will be a total war. Also, I like Stanley's choice in entrance music.

KETCHEL = BADASS

(continuation of post #284)

"I'm happy we got this over with quickly," said an excited Ketchel during an interview with HBO's Mike Davison. "The hotel we're stayin' at's playin' a Seinfeld marathon all night long and all day tomorrow so we might be able to get back there before it starts. You look a little like George yourself, Mr. Davison. Say somethin' like George would, man. Say "Jerry! Jerry!" Come on, man."

Davison, who actually does resemble Jason Alexander, was quite bemused by Ketchel's words and opted for asking him how he managed to destroy O'Dowd so easily.

"Don't ask me that, man," replied Ketchel dismissively. "You saw it, dude. You wanna see it again, watch your videotape. It'll give you all the answers you need."

Ketchel and his team had left the ring soon after, the young slugger in an animated mood as he made his way out of the arena. In a fight that was expected to be a real competitive struggle, Ketchel had simply blown his opponent away. In less than two rounds of work he landed 78 of 218 punches (35.7%), O'Down just 12 of 86 (13.9%)...

Co-Feature

On this night where anticipation was the theme, the debut of Wisconsin native Jake Morrison had finally arrived. Since making one helluva impression at June's Indianapolis trials with his hostile, anti-social disposition the 19 year-old wrecking machine has been regarded as one of the most hardcore, uncompromising entrants into these IBL tournaments. Morrison only added to that dangerous aura when he left a pair of Chippewa Falls locals who tried to assault him while on his morning run battered and bruised back at the end of July. He was cleared of any wrongdoing in the incident but had spoken of his frustration in regards to the attitude that some in his hometown have towards him.

"This ain't the first time it's happened," Morrison had said. "Been a couple of times when I was at the bar where guys have been full o' liquor and thought they could slug it out with me. Think some of these guys are jealous 'cause they ain't made much of their lives so they gotta try and take some o' mine. But this is my home and I ain't goin' anywhere, so if these %&*$#@! wanna keep on steppin' up to the plate, I'll keep on droppin' them on their asses!"

Since that publicised event Morrison has done his best to stay out of trouble, a task that included a temporary move to Minneapolis for training purposes. Obviously, this contradicted his words where he said he "ain't goin' anywhere" but Morrison had confirmed in recent days that it really helped his training regime.

"No one there knew who I was," he said. "Made training a whole lot easier."

(to be continued)

[kenyan_cheena]

(continuation)

There was a potent feeling of excitement in the air as the audience awaited Morrison's walk to the ring, an edge-of-your-seat type vibe that they were about to see something extraordinary. His opponent, the Canadian Wilfie Greaves looked at best apprehensive, at worst terrified as he paced back and forth in his corner. Suddenly the Slayer classic "Angel of Death" exploded from the arena speakers, stunning many in the crowd while others who immediately recognised the song shouted their approval. About a minute into it the arena went dark, save for a single spotlight that highlighted Morrison and his small support team as they made their way down the aisle.

Like Ketchel in the night's previous bout Morrison wore black, his head bowed under an oversized hood. Once in the ring he stood in his own corner, head remaining bowed as if oblivious to both his opponent and the reception the crowd had given him. He only moved when the referee called the two fighters together, Morrison removing his robe to reveal a chiselled, ripped torso, knee length black trunks and a mohawk hairstyle, which brought a deal of commotion from the crowd. The Wisconsin native seemed to stare right through Greaves, a cold, blank emotionlessness in his eyes as the referee gave his final instructions.

The crowd weren't the only ones expecting a destructive debut for Morrison. Most boxing experts were predicting an early stoppage victory for him and while the final result lived up to those hopes, the route that led to it might have been something of a let down. After controlling the opening two rounds convincingly, Morrison caught Greaves with a hard left hook early in the 3rd that opened a nasty one inch cut over the Canadian's right eye. It only took moments for the ring doctor to rule that Greaves could not continue and the bout was stopped 56 seconds into the round, Morrison a winner by TKO. Some in the crowd booed, unhappy with the outcome. Although he'd landed some thunderous blows, shots that had the audience on their feet, Morrison did not score a knockdown and some felt the doctor should have allowed the fight to continue. Morrison tended to agree with them, showing little remorse for his opponent when interviewed afterwards.

"We were only just warmin' up," he said incredulously, running a hand through his mohawk. "I really would o' liked a chance to bust him open some more, you know? Maybe put him on his ass a few times. He was a bit tougher than I expected, I'll give him that. But those punches he landed, I gotta say ... it was like some little b!t

It must be said that Greaves did show more than most were expecting, but Morrison's take on the bout was pretty accurate. The Canadian rarely used his right hand, only prepared to try and keep Morrison at a distance with a stiff jab, one that did little if no damage.

Punch totals

Jake Morrison: 58/254 (22.8%)
Wilfie Greaves: 51/143 (35.7%)

"Whoever it is, he'll be in for a world o' hurt," Morrison said when asked about his next opponent. "I don't give a damn who they put me in against. I'm pissed that this fight ended like it did and I'm gonna keep that s%#t down in my gut, you know? Gonna carry it into the next fight with me, for sure."

Morrison departed the ring moments later, refusing to acknowledge the crowd until he scowled and cursed at a young child who called out to him. It brought a chorus of boos from the audience which Morrison ignored, head once again covered by that large hood...

(to be continued)

[Romdawg88]

Such a lovably, fan friendly guy that Morrison cat is. It's really heart warming to see how he has taken to the public. So thats the second much hyped bomber, like that bum Hanson, that had a disappointing outing. Maybe these cats would be better off working on their game instead of talking about how their going to kill everyone.

Oh yeah, I saw that Pats/Colts post you made over in the Talk Sports forum and I know a site where you can get a live stream of the game if you want to watch it. Let me if your interested.

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

Such a lovably, fan friendly guy that Morrison cat is. It's really heart warming to see how he has taken to the public. So thats the second much hyped bomber, like that bum Hanson, that had a disappointing outing. Maybe these cats would be better off working on their game instead of talking about how their going to kill everyone.

Oh yeah, I saw that Pats/Colts post you made over in the Talk Sports forum and I know a site where you can get a live stream of the game if you want to watch it. Let me if your interested.

I would have liked to see him blow the guy away, but it wasn't to be. I was tempted to make him a little nicer but that would have been out of character for him. Besides, one thing the HBF/IBL really does need more of is badasses, dudes the crowds and fans love to hate. Morrsion should fit the bill nicely.

Thanks for your thoughts about the Pats-Colts game, but I'll pass on the live stream thing. I'll be getting ready for work while it's on anyway, but I would have liked to be able to tape it or at least watch the replay when I get home from work in the evening. No big deal, though.

Well, here's the conclusion of the IBL's debut fight card...

(continuation of post #287)

Main Event

The bad taste that Morrison had put in the crowd's mouth quickly dissolved when their hometown hero Harry Greb made his way into the arena for the main event. They applauded when they realised that Charley Burley was part of the entourage, dressed in baggy jeans and a white Nike jumper. He waved to the crowd and smiled in acknowledgement. Like Burley had done to start the evening, Greb wore the colours of the Pittsburgh Steelers, although whereas Burley's robe had been black with gold trim, Greb's was gold with black trim. The former Olympic hopeful had spoken of how proud he was to be the headline act of the league's debut event and that pride was clear to see in his eyes as he made the walk to the ring.

Greb's opponent Ronnie Harris wasn't being mentioned in the same breath as the Middleweight division's top contenders but he looked fiercely determined in the moments before the opening bell. The 22 year-old Ohio native sported a crazy afro and wore eye-catching trunks of alternating blue, yellow, white and red vertical stripes. Once the fight started it became clear that Harris was not going to just lay down for Greb as he had the better of a frenetic opening round. Both men threw over a hundred punches but landed less than 20% of them. The crowd didn't seem to mind as they cheered on the combatants.

The hometown hero looked fantastic in round two, somehow doubling his workrate and tagging Harris throughout. The highlights of Greb's assault were a smashing right hand fifty seconds in, a sizzling combo midway through the round and a left hook that caught Harris on the forehead thirty seconds from the bell. Even so, Harris stayed on his feet, his defiance admirable in the face of such a parochial crowd and first class opponent. He put himself right into the fight in an explosive 3rd round, using an accumulation of precision shots to take the round in convincing fashion. Harris wasn't swinging for the fences but he was working his backside off. Greb needed a breather after his efforts in round two and he'd allowed himself just that in the 3rd.

Round four was very similar to the opener, both fighters throwing numerous shots but failing to find the mark most of the time. It was a terribly even affair and going into the 5th some at ringside were beginning to feel concerned. Harris was still right in the fight and if he could keep it going for the final two rounds the possibility was there for an upset. Greb temporarily allayed those fears in round five with a dominant stanza. Harris looked to be tiring and he could not have thrown more than twenty punches in the round. The Pennsylvanian took full advantage, landing a bunch of scoring blows and also scrambling Harris' circuits with a flurry of shots as the round drew to a close.

The final round would prove to be the best of the fight as the two warriors went all out for victory, Harris digging deep to produce a brave finish. It was hard fought and brutal and with forty seconds left it would have been hard to split them. But Greb came home strongly, first catching Harris with a hard right cross and then a jolting uppercut. Harris somehow stayed on his feet and as the final ten seconds were indicated the crowd came to their feet in ovation. Greb and Harris ended the fight locked in a clinch and remained in that embrace when the final bell sounded. Greb spoke words of praise to his courageous opponent, both fighters acknowledging the crowd's applause while also claiming victory.

On the edge of their seats for the next five minutes, the crowd was finally put out of their misery when Wally Jackson climbed between the ropes to reveal the verdict. The fight had been much, much tighter than predicted and it was a scary reality that the hometown hero might come out on the wrong end of the scorecards.

"Ladies and gentlemen, judge Arno Pokrandt of Germany has scored the bout 58-57 to Harry Greb."

As expected, the crowd cheered. Jackson waited for their volume to subside before continuing.

"Judge Pavel Karding of Poland scores it 58-57 to Ronnie Harris."

This brought rumbles of concern from the audience but little booing.

"Judge Burt Clements of the USA has also scored the fight 58-57, to the winner ... HARRY GREB!!!"

The name was not halfway out of his mouth before the arena erupted, relief and jubilation let loose in a torrent of applause.

Punch totals

Harry Greb - 153/623 (24.6%)
Ronnie Harris - 111/321 (34.6%)

Greb spoke for an extended period to Harris, clearly expressing his admiration for the Canton native's performance and commiserations for the verdict.

"That was so much tougher than I expected," said a relieved Greb afterwards. "The guy came with so much determination, you know? I thought I had him under my thumb there in the 5th but he stepped up again in the 6th and I'm just lucky I finished the round as strong as I did. That's how close I was to defeat, really. I don't think I could have done it without the incredible support of this crowd-"

This brought another deafening ovation, Greb smiling and clapping in return.

"The way you got behind not just myself and Charley but everyone who fought tonight was just fantastic. So thank you so much for that."

The night was not quite over yet as, with the two fighters still in the ring, IBL Chief Director James Molk took up the microphone to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd also like to thank each and every one of you for helping to make this such an incredible night," he said, to which the crowd responded with a round of applause. "When I envisioned how this night would progress I never thought it would be as great as it's turned out and all of you are a huge part of that success. So thank you, all of you, so much for your great support. The time has now come when we reveal the matchups that these twelve fine fighters will face in five weeks from now. As you know the league used a lottery sytem to determine our series one clashes and we'll continue to use it as the tournaments progress."

Molk was handed a small, folded card by one of his associates.

"I'll now read out the matchups for series two of the Middleweight division's North America Central region ... Paul Pirrone versus Ronnie Harris ... Mike O'Dowd versus Greg Moe ... Ted Wright versus Stanley Ketchel ... Tony Zale versus Jake Morrison-"

The crowd reacted to this in numerous ways: low toned oohing and aahing, shouting, screams of approval, general talkativeness. Zale vs Morrison figured to be an absolutely insane matchup. However, the crowd was also getting anxious. With only four fighters left to be named, neither of their favourites had been mentioned yet. Molk continued.

"Harry Greb versus ... Charley Burley!!!"

With that the building went bananas, shouts and screams of excitement, delight and, in some cases, anger. Clearly some were unhappy that their two boys would have to go up against each other so early in the tournament but that was not the majority consensus. A look at Molk's face showed that he was somewhere in the middle. Surely it's a clash he would have preferred to come later in the event, but he was also showing excitement over the prospect of seeing two of the division's best set to go head-to-head.

"The final matchup is Frank Battaglia versus Wilfie Greaves," Molk finished, almost as an afterthought.

The IBL Chief Director walked over to Greb and shook his hand, speaking to him for several minutes. Burley was there also, his body language towards his fellow Steel City native different to how it was when they'd walked to the ring together. Greb was smiling and laughing but he must have been feeling something close to sick on the inside. Most of the crowd remained in the arena until the ring was cleared, Greb and Burley taking the time to sign autographs before making their way back to the dressing rooms. There was a crackling electricity in the air, as if what had taken place tonight was merely an appetiser of what was to come...

Series Two matchups

Middleweight division,
North America Central region

PAUL PIRRONE (0-1-0) vs RONNIE HARRIS (0-1-0)
MIKE O'DOWD (0-1-0) vs GREG MOE (0-1-0)
TED WRIGHT (0-1-0) vs STANLEY KETCHEL (1-0-0(1))
TONY ZALE (1-0-0) vs JAKE MORRISON (1-0-0(1))
HARRY GREB (1-0-0) vs CHARLEY BURLEY (1-0-0)
FRANK BATTAGLIA (1-0-0(1)) vs WILFIE GREAVES (0-1-0)

[kenyan_cheena]

SUMMARY OF RESULTS
INTERNATIONAL BOXING LEAGUE FIGHT CARD
MONDAY 26 AUGUST 2002
MELLON ARENA, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, USA

IBL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
REGIONAL QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT, SERIES ONE
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION
REGION: NORTH AMERICA CENTRAL


OPENING BOUT

Charley Burley MD6 Paul Pirrone

PRELIMINARY 1

Frank Battaglia KO5 Ted Wright

PRELIMINARY 2

Tony Zale UD6 Greg Moe

SUPPORT BOUT

Stanley Ketchel TKO2 Mike O'Dowd

CO-FEATURE

Jake Morrison TKO3 Wilfie Greaves

MAIN EVENT

Harry Greb SD6 Ronnie Harris

[Romdawg88]

MIKE O'DOWD (0-1-0) vs GREG MOE (0-1-0)
TONY ZALE (1-0-0) vs JAKE MORRISON (1-0-0(1))
HARRY GREB (1-0-0) vs CHARLEY BURLEY (1-0-0)

Damn, those are some damn good fights. I can't wait for this card especially Zale/Morrison that should be a war. The forums guys in the IBL aren't getting any breaks at all. I'm going to take Moe, Zale, and Greb for the win.

[kckid4u]

Originally Posted by Romdawg88

MIKE O'DOWD (0-1-0) vs GREG MOE (0-1-0)
TONY ZALE (1-0-0) vs JAKE MORRISON (1-0-0(1))
HARRY GREB (1-0-0) vs CHARLEY BURLEY (1-0-0)

Damn, those are some damn good fights. I can't wait for this card especially Zale/Morrison that should be a war. The forums guys in the IBL aren't getting any breaks at all. I'm going to take Moe, Zale, and Greb for the win.

How'd I do? How'd I do?

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by kckid4u

How'd I do? How'd I do?

See posts #280 and #284.

[kenyan_cheena]

HBO SCORES A KNOCKOUT
WITH IBL COVERAGE

Tuesday 27 August 2002

Cable network Home Box Office announced this morning that approximately 15.2 million American viewers tuned in to watch last night's debut fight card of the International Boxing League. The broadcast of the event, which was held at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh has given HBO one of its largest audiences of 2002, far exceeding intital expectations.

"We would have been over the moon to get ten million," said programming director Milt Jacobs. "But 15.2? That's just fantastic."

Heavyweight Boxing Federation fight cards are broadcast on ESPN and since competition in their World Championship and 1st Defense tournaments commenced back in January the most watched fight card has been the May 31 Indiana event that featured Elmer Ray and Jimmy Young in the headlining bout. 15.6 million were watching on that night, so for the IBL to come close to that number on its debut is quite an achievement. The league's Chief Director James Molk was pleased with the news.

"I think it shows that we've promoted ourselves to the public in a really effective way," he said. "People are excited about boxing: it's a sport that on a professional level is fresh and new and exciting. We can't rest on our laurels, though. We have to keep working hard to ensure that this popularity lasts for the long term."

The card featured a sextet of intriguing matchups in the league's Middleweight division, but one of the main talking points happened after all the bouts had been fought and won. The unveiling of the schedule for series two of the North America Central region had Charley Burley and Harry Greb set to clash in five week's time. Both Pittsburgh natives and both favourites to qualify for the World Championship tournament, the bout figures to be a real blockbuster and many have said today that the series two card should also be held in Pittsburgh. Molk did not confirm whether or not that will be the case.

"It's something that actually caught us a little by surprise," he admitted. "We had planned to alternate the venues for each group as much as possible from series to series, but we'll have to consider it, no doubt."

Action in the league's first week of competition continues today with the Middleweights of Europe stepping in the ring at the Casino Di Campione in Lombardia, Italy...

[Ric915]

As always the write ups are impressive and exciting. Glad to see the IBL off and running

[kenyan_cheena]

Originally Posted by Ric915

As always the write ups are impressive and exciting. Glad to see the IBL off and running

Thanks, Ric. I'm just about to start writing up the European card.

[kenyan_cheena]

EUROSMASH:
BENN AND CERDAN
STEAL THE SHOW IN ITALY

Tuesday 27 August 2002

Week one of the International Boxing League's World Championship regional qualifiers continued today with the Casino Di Campione in Lombardia, Italy hosting the opening card of the Middleweight division's European region. A healthy crowd turned out to witness the event and while Olympic gold medallist Nino Benvenuti was the headline attraction it was a pair of other competitors who really stamped their authority upon the evening.

Appearing in the fourth bout on the card, hard-hitting Englishman Nigel Benn scored a decisive 6th round KO victory over crowd favourite Oddone Piazza. The Londoner made his way to the ring in a robe of black with white trim, his knee-length trunks of the same colour, tassles running up and down the side of each leg. Benn wore an aggressive disposition, a layer of sweat coating his face, short hair tightly braided.

Benn had made the news back in May during the IBL's Manchester selection trials when members of his entourage and that of his rival Lloyd Honeyghan were involved in a brawl at the MEN Arena. By the end of the week Benn was gaining attention for more positive reasons and was named the premier Middleweight at those English trials.

Against Piazza the 24 year-old showed exactly why, flooring the Italian four times over the course of the contest. Benn had his man on the back foot from the opening bell and Piazza was down for the first time fifty seconds into round one from a stinging body shot. He was in trouble again just after the round's midpoint when Benn tagged him with a sizzling four punch combo, Piazza wrapping his opponent up desperately. Benn maintained the pressure in the 2nd, catching Piazza with a hard left hook early and another lightning combination as the round entered its second minute. Piazza was able to level the playing field somewhat but Benn ended the round strongly, a right hand catching his adversary on the chin.

For most of the next two rounds it was an even affair, Piazza appearing to find his footing in the contest. But as round four drew to a close Benn rocked his man with a smashing right hook. The punch bounced off the top of Piazza's head and he stumbled backwards into the ropes. Benn connected with a snapping cross as the round ended and the pro-Piazza crowd booed when the Englishman thumped his chest on the way back to his corner. Benn had set a cracking pace through those opening four rounds, leading one commentator at ringside to say that he'd never seen such an incredible punching display.

Benn continued to dominate in the 5th as he sent Piazza to the canvas for the second time in the fight 48 seconds into the round. It was a fantastic left hook that took the Italian's legs out from under him. He was up at six but Benn was unable to follow up which allowed Piazza to regain his faculties. Later in the round Benn found the mark with two separate uppercuts, the second one a particularly vicious shot that forced his stunned opponent to clinch.

Piazza gave the crowd the briefest of hopes for an incredible rally when he caught Benn with a sweetly-timed uppercut early in round six but Benn shook it off and went right back to work, continuing to torment his opponent. A left hook one minute into the round had Piazza on his backside once again. Up at five, he leaned on the ropes for support. Benn came in mercilessly, unloading shots to the head and body. It was a miracle that Piazza stayed on his feet for as long as he did because Benn landed at least a half-dozen good shots that should have finished off the contest. The end came only moments from the final bell. After a three-punch salvo had Piazza wobbling in the middle of the ring another flurry of blows floored him for the final time in the bout and he was counted out at the 2:54 mark.

The audience voiced their displeasure but Benn simply nodded at them, kissing his right bicep before celebrating with his corner crew. How good was his performance? Well, he only broke the record for most punches thrown in a fight (in either the HBF or IBL), his workrate showing that he must be considered one of the fittest fighters out there. Benn landed 167 of 675 punches (24.7%), his opponent 69 of 217 (31.8%). The previous record had been 623, set by HBF competitor Marvin Hart back on the 18th of May (and equalled by Harry Greb only yesterday in Pittsburgh).

"That's gonna be my way," Benn said, nodding. "Ain't no one gonna be able to outwork me, believe that. We're aimin' to finish on top of the group and I'm real happy that it's started out like this."

(to be continued)

[kenyan_cheena]

(continuation)

***

19 year-old Frenchman Marcel Cerdan took to the ring in the Co-Feature, making short and impressive work of the tough Englishman Randy Turpin. This one was expected to be the best bout of the evening and it was exciting while it lasted. Cerdan was a lucky winner against the Mexican Javier Aguirre in Sydney before being thoroughly outboxed by eventual gold medallist Michael Spinks in the semi-finals. It was these two events that the teenager was most known for and he had said in the last few days that he was hoping to start putting some positive events on his resume.

Wearing blue trunks with white trim Cerdan came out firing in the opening round, hurting Turpin on a number of occasions and all but forcing referee Joe O'Neil to end the contest. A hard cross early in the piece was followed by a trio of rapid-fire combinations and then some thunderous blows in the bottom half of the round, concluded with a jolting uppercut moments before the bell. Cerdan had worked beautifully behind a constant left jab, peppering Turpin with it at will.

The Englishman was able to answer back in a chaotic round two, both men throwing like crazy for the duration. Turpin was clearly desperate to get himself right into the fight and he unleashed 104 punches in the stanza. The crowd was into the fight in a big way and applauded enthusiastically as the combatants returned to their corners.

Cerdan was back in command in the 3rd, a straight right staggering Turpin early and a left hook rocking him at the two minute mark. Turpin's right eye was showing some serious swelling from all the left hands it had eaten and as the round neared its end he looked ready to go. A left hook landed flush on his jaw as the bell was sounding and Turpin lurched forward and then fell to the canvas face first. Cerdan stood over him briefly before O'Neil pulled him aside, Turpin failing to beat the count and becoming the second IBL competitor to be counted out after the bell.

Cerdan was almost sheepish afterwards, the introverted Algerian-born slugger appearing hesitant to talk to the media. Eventually it was his trainer Phillipe Cluveat who spoke for him.

"We are, ah, very happy with this result," Cluveat said in broken english. "Turpin is, how do you say it? Very good fighter and for Marcel to, ah, defeat him like this way, it's very encouraging."

Punch totals

Cerdan: 91/213 (42.7%)
Turpin: 49/237 (20.7%)

Like Benn before him, Cerdan certainly showed that he'll be a force to be reckoned with during this tournament.

***

Italy's Welterweight gold medallist Nino Benvenuti was greeted by a wave of applause as he made his way to the ring. He had been heavily involved in promoting the card and as a result had become much more recognised in his homeland than he'd been before the IBL had come into being. Some had said that the 24 year-old deliberately moved up to Middleweight to avoid facing the man he'd upset in Sydney, Puerto Rico's Felix Trinidad. The native of Trieste in Italy's north-east had dismissed such claims.

"I can't make the weight anymore," he said simply. "Fighting at Middleweight, it's a perfect fit for me at this stage of my career."

Benvenuti was facing the limited Dane Tom Bogs in his debut IBL bout and as it turned out, there were no surprises. Benvenuti won by unanimous decision (58-56, 60-54, 58-56) in a contest where he was never threatened. It was actually a mystery how two of the judges awarded Bogs two rounds as this bout was a clear example of a shutout. Benvenuti landed 198 of 664 punches (29.8%) (moving into 2nd behind Benn on that punches landed in a fight list) while Bogs found the mark with 91 of 279 (32.6%). The Denmark native looked terrible afterwards, his right eye badly swollen and his left sporting a cut above it on the brow.

Benvenuti said that the hometown crowd really energised him, their enthusiasm and encouragement driving him to a superb showing. Benvenuti was shocked to find out he had thrown as many punches as he did, saying he had expected to reach "maybe 500" beforehand.

"I don't want to get too excited about this, though," added Benvenuti. "I know that there's a lot of tougher fights ahead of me so I have to be prepared for those. I'll have to forget about this pretty quickly."

(Still to come: The Lombardia Undercard)

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THE LOMBARDIA UNDERCARD

Opening Bout

The evening got underway with a matchup of two French fighters, 23 year-old Sallanches native Laurent Boudouani defeating Tunisian-born slugger Gratien Tonna by split decision (58-56, 56-57, 57-56). Overall, Tonna actually had the better of the contest but a knockdown that Boudouani scored midway through the opening round would prove to be vital to the final outcome.

Tonna landed 118 of 340 punches (34.7%), Boudouani 98 of 382 (25.7%). Tonna had been in control of round one before he was felled by a wicked right cross. Round two was an even, entertaining affair before Tonna did enough to convince two of the judges to award him the 3rd, 4th and 5th rounds. If he'd been able to continue his good work into the final stanza he would have emerged a victor but Boudouani was able to produce a solid three minutes just when it mattered and all three judges scored the round in his favour.

Although they're not considered a threat to the top of the standings both men showed enough to indicate that they'll at least test the group's favoured competitors.

Preliminary 1

One of a quartet of English fighters in the group, Alan Minter made a victorious start to his campaign with a 6th round KO of the Spaniard Luis Folledo. In an absolute barnstormer of a contest Minter floored Folledo for the first and only time fifty seconds into the final round with a hard left hook and he was counted out, the fight ending at the 1:00 mark.

Like so many other fighters in the IBL, Minter has gone about his preparations for the tournament almost anonymously but his efforts against Folledo gave a clear indication that he'll be tough to beat. With the exception of round two (where Folledo hurt the Englishman and had him in real trouble) Minter held the upperhand throughout the bout, showing some impressive boxing skills during the stretch from round three through to the 5th. He outworked Folledo by an almost 2:1 ratio, illustrating that his fitness will be one of his main attributes.

Punch totals

Minter - 153/407 (37.6%)
Folledo - 112/208 (53.8%)

"He landed more shots than I would have liked," said Minter afterwards. "So my defense wasn't as good as I was hoping. Still, we can work on that. It's really incredible to think that the tournament's finally started and I can't wait to get back into the ring."

Preliminary 2

Aggressive and hard-hitting, Maurice Hope made it 2 for 2 on the night for the English brigade when he took a well-earned unanimous decision verdict against the German Leo Starosch (58-56, 57-56, 58-56). It was an arm-wrestle through four rounds, with the scorecards identically alternating from one fighter to the other: Hope dominated rounds one and three but Starosch produced enough to take the 2nd and 4th. Both men were going foot to the floor, letting their hands go at will and unafraid to eat a couple of shots in order to land one.

Hope stepped up big time in round five, hurting Starosch early in the piece and piling on the pressure until he put the German on his backside with a smashing left hook shortly before the bell. Starosch bounced back to his feet with the count at two and there was not enough time for Hope to follow up. Round six was anti-climatic, Starosch exhausted and Hope content to keep him at bay with the jab. The bout certainly deserved a more exciting conclusion but no one could dispute that Hope had been the better fighter. He landed 135 of 459 punches (29.4%), Starosch 116 of 426 (27.2%).

"Real tough one first up," said an excited Hope afterwards. "I think that'll really help me as the tournament progresses 'cause there's a bunch of guys here who are gonna be a real handful for me. I'm gonna have to approach each fight like it's my last, like it's a war. I think it's a very open group, you know? All of these guys are capable of winning on any night so I'll have to come ready to fight every night."

***

Following the evening's main event, the schedule for series two was revealed. One Olympic-sized matchup in particular had the crowd talking...

Series Two matchups
Middleweight division,
European region

GRATIEN TONNA (0-1-0) vs TOM BOGS (0-1-0)
LAURENT BOUDOUANI (1-0-0) vs RANDY TURPIN (0-1-0)
LUIS FOLLEDO (0-1-0) vs NIGEL BENN (1-0-0(1))
NINO BENVENUTI (1-0-0) vs MARCEL CERDAN (1-0-0(1))
LEO STAROSCH (0-1-0) vs ALAN MINTER (1-0-0(1))
MAURICE HOPE (1-0-0) vs ODDONE PIAZZA (0-1-0)

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SUMMARY OF RESULTS
INTERNATIONAL BOXING LEAGUE FIGHT CARD
TUESDAY 27 AUGUST 2002
CASINO DI CAMPIONE, LECCO, LOMBARDIA, ITALY

IBL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
REGIONAL QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT, SERIES ONE
MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION
REGION: EUROPE


OPENING BOUT

Laurent Boudouani SD6 Gratien Tonna

PRELIMINARY 1

Alan Minter KO6 Luis Folledo

PRELIMINARY 2

Maurice Hope UD6 Leo Starosch

SUPPORT BOUT

Nigel Benn KO6 Oddone Piazza

CO-FEATURE

Marcel Cerdan KO3 Randy Turpin

MAIN EVENT

Nino Benvenuti UD6 Tom Bogs