The Bamboo Heist—Two Blind Mice Pilfer Pasley!

By: George H. Hanson Jr., Esq.

Date:                           Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Venue:                        The Bamboo Bar in Club Roxy – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Promoters:                Damon & Marty Feldman’s “Champions of Tomorrow”
Ring Announcer:      Ron Starr
Referee:                      Shawn Clare
Photos:                       www.christoneyphotography.com

Judges have become the aphids of pugilism—sucking the lifeblood out of the sweet science— rendering decisions that defer dreams and destroy earning potential. We all know that boxing is a very incestuous sports but it appears that the fighters are the ones getting Vaseline applied to the gluteal region by those who are supposed to be impartial. On Wednesday July 13, 2011 The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board indefinitely suspended all three judges— Al Bennett, Hilton Whitaker III and Don Givens for their work in awarding junior middleweight Paul Williams a majority 12-round decision over Erislandy Lara in their HBO Boxing After Dark highly anticipated showdown the previous Saturday. No mention was made of mandatory drug testing and eye examinations!

I was in press-row as Lara outclassed Williams oftentimes using him for target practice leaving no doubt who should have been ahead on the scorecards. But for some inexplicable reason Bennett scored it a draw 114-114 while Whitaker saw it 115-114 and Givens tallied 116-114. And tonight I was similarly situated as cruiserweight Kamarah “Black Magic” Pasley (6 wins – 6 losses – 0 draws – 2 kos) out boxed and out-landed Brian “Wildman” Donahue (2 wins – 5 losses – 1 draw – 0 kos) in the six-round main event for what was billed as the XBC cruiserweight belt. Please don’t ask me to shed some light on the XBC and what it stands for and why two Philadelphia pugilists were fighting for its title in a bar on Delaware Avenue. I am the owner of three belts—my Pennsylvania Diamond belt that I won as an amateur and two that I bought on sale at Neiman Marcus!

The southpaw Pasley who holds a master’s degree in communications from New York Institute of Technology imparted his message in the opening round with a blistering right hook that shook Donahue. But the Wildman is resilient and absorbed the punch as Pasley worked behind his right jab dominating and winning the round. Not to be dissuaded Donahue forced the action in the next two rounds by wading in with shots as the bigger and stronger Pasley circled on his toes instead of planting his feet and unleashing some pain. Using lateral movement, Pasley got back in the saddle by boxing smartly and efficiently as he took Donahue to school over the final three rounds landing to the body and head while evading punishment.  When the final bell sounded, two of my press-row cohorts mirrored my score of 58-56 for Pasley while the third had it for the southpaw by a wider margin, 59-55. However, only one of the judges scored it 58-56 for Pasley while the two blind mice had it even 58-58—majority draw. Again, I clamor for mandatory eye examination and sobriety testing for officials judging boxing contests.

Philly middleweight Fred Jenkins (5 wins – 1 loss – 0 draws – 2 kos) returned to the ring for the first time in seventeen months and showed no ring rust in a scheduled four-rounder. Jenkins pressed the action with his high-guard offense—gloves masquerading as ear-muffs—jabbing to the head and body making life uncomfortable for his winless cross-town rival Ruben Ortiz (0 wins – 1 loss – 0 draws). Ortiz fought back but Jenkins landed the sharper punches while switching intermittently between orthodox and southpaw stance. Ortiz tried to befuddle Jenkins and mirrored his posture. It was a workman-like performance by Jenkins who fought all four rounds with the same intensity smothering Ortiz never allowing him time to mount an offense. The judges couldn’t agree on what they witnessed despite being inches away from the actions. One judge scored it even at 38-38 while the other two had it 40-36 and 39-37 for Jenkins who got the nod by majority decision.

Debuting New Jersey cruiserweight David Murray rode into the ring supremely confident exuding an air of humble superiority a dead ringer for Woody Strode—actor and pioneer and one of the first four African-Americans to play professional football in the NFL. It was Strode as Draba, the Ethiopian gladiator facing Kirk Douglas in the 1960 blockbuster Spartacus as the bald-pated Murray answered the bell to engage in gloved-combat with Mike Moore of Bristol, Pennsylvania who was also joining the punch-for-pay ranks. Moore attacked with reckless abandon as Murray circled and fired his long stiff piston-like jab—a tool of pure precision. Midway through the round Murray struck with a right uppercut momentarily wobbling Moore who recovered and continued his forward March.

The second round was closer as Moore blanketed Murray like a Washington politician pursuing an alluring, buxom intern.  Murray’s jab rendered Moore’s face a carmine visage as he bled from a cut below his left eye.  It is safe to assume that trainer Greg Pritchett told Murray not to leave his fate in the hands of the judges. The New Jersey cruiserweight kept hammering away with his jab oftentimes dropping in the straight right hand that found its mark. And in the early stages of the third round Murray blinded Moore with a stiff jab and immediately connected with a perfectly thrown straight right that carried every ounce of his one hundred and ninety pound frame. The punch ricocheted off Moore’s jaw sending him crashing to the canvas on his knees before sprawling on his face. The fallen fighter struggled to his feet at the count of five but referee Clark protected him from further damage and called a halt at 1:01 declaring Murray the winner by technical knockout.

Other Results:  Philadelphia junior-welterweight Lonnie Jackson (2 win a unanimous four-round decision by scores of 39-36 twice and 38-37 over “Steamin” Josh Beeman (5 wins – 13 losses – 4 draws – 2 kos) of Providence, Rhode Island. Jackson dropped Beeman in the second round with a left hook high on the head in the second stanza. Beeman survived and made it a competitive fight over the remaining rounds. Brick, New Jersey heavyweight Dan Pasciolla (1 win – 1 loss – 0 draws – 0 kos) won a unanimous four-round decision by scores of 40-36 twice and 39-37 over the ever-entertaining Lonnie Kornegay (1 win – 9 losses – 2 draws – 0 kos) of Baltimore, Maryland.

It was a delightful night of the sweet science enjoyed by the capacity crowd grateful for a mid-week respite from the routine of life. The venue was small yet cozy making it more of a private showing than a public sporting event. There wasn’t a bad seat in the house. Enjoying the action were several dignitaries from the Philadelphia boxing community including USBA cruiserweight champion Garrett “The Ultimate Warrior” Wilson, Jesse “Hard Work” Hart, Dante “Mr. Snuggly Time” Selby, Greg “Hotshot” Hackett, Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, Lucille Fletcher, Vinnie Burgese, Mike Everett, and 10-year-old amateur sensation and “ The Baddest Little Man on the Planet”—Stevie Foster.

I can only surmise that if we could transport some of these sightless adjudicators— perched at ringside supposedly judging boxing matches— back in time they would have had Goliath up on the scorecards in his epic battle with David. How long before the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission follow the precedent set by New Jersey and begins dismissing ineptitude and incompetency?  I guess unlike New Jersey, Pennsylvania is long in patience and short in stature!

Continue to support the sweet science, and remember, always carry your mouthpiece!: ghanson3@hotmail.com

 



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