Joe Mesi's week started out lousy, and it didn't get much better from there.
Last Monday, a panel of physicians in Las Vegas issued a unanimous decision against the erstwhile heavyweight contender, recommending that the suspension of the Tonawanda native's license to box remain in place.
Before ruling, the four doctors in attendance heard evidence that the injuries Mesi suffered in his last fight were even more severe than his team had previously admitted, with one of the subdural hematomas he sustained reopening a month after he escaped with a victory over Vassiliy Jirov.
As Mesi pondered whether to continue with what now appears an unwinnable struggle or call it a career, the boxing world moved on. Developments in the heavyweight division demonstrated why he's trying so hard to get back into the ring.
First came another dismal performance by Dominick Guinn, once seen as Mesi's chief rival in the ranks of the up-and-coming. Guinn, who won a 10-round decision over Duncan Dokiwari at HSBC Arena on Sept. 27, 2003 -- the same night Mesi obliterated DaVarryl Williamson in less than a round before a sellout crowd to cap a card telecast by HBO -- stumbled through his third non-winning effort in four bouts.
Guinn, who had already dropped decisions to Monte Barrett and Serguei Lyakhovich in the previous 13 months, further soiled his record with a draw against nondescript Nigerian Friday Ahunanya, a fighter more memorable for his first name and nickname -- "The 13th" -- than anything done in the ring.
According to PunchStat, Guinn lived up, or down, to his own moniker -- "The Southern Disaster" -- by landing all of 84 punches in 10 rounds. To his credit, that made him busier than Ahunanya, who connected with only 50.
"I have to sit down and think if I really, really want this," Guinn told reporters after getting savagely booed for 10 rounds.
No kidding, Dominick.
On Saturday, crystal-chinned robot Wladimir Klitschko continued his march toward another savage knockout defeat in a big fight by bludgeoning undersized, overmatched Cuban Eliseo Castillo into a fourth-round TKO.
Klitschko the Lesser, whose gas tank hits empty faster than an SUV's, narrowly escaped with a technical decision against Williamson in October. Williamson dropped Wladimir and was on the way to a huge upset when a head butt opened a cut over the big Ukrainian's eye, prematurely sending the fight to the scorecards.
Despite his repeatedly demonstrated inadequacies, Klitschko remains on track for a title shot, thanks in no small part to his last name. And since he and his brother, WBC titlist Vitali Klitschko, have repeatedly said they won't fight each other, Wladimir might just get another belt of his own.
Next Saturday, Mesi can watch yet another mediocre belt-holder in action as WBA boss John Ruiz tries to clinch his way past blown-up middleweight James Toney. That bout hasn't even generated as much publicity as the fossilized Mike Tyson's latest comeback, a June bout against Kevin McBride, once considered as a potential Mesi opponent.
Meanwhile, Barrett -- who Mesi decisioned in December 2003 -- awaits a shot at either Vitali Klitschko or IBF titlist Chris Byrd, thanks to his ninth-round stoppage of Owen "What the Heck" Beck in February. And Williamson can put himself in line for the title shot Mesi never got if he tops Derrick Jefferson on the Ruiz-Toney undercard.
Due to the nature of Mesi's injuries, and the sport itself, no concrete proof exists that he's at greater risk of suffering another, possibly fatal, hematoma. Nor is there any to suggest that he's not.
Given that lack of evidence, it's just about impossible to imagine the full Nevada Athletic Commission going against the advice of its advisory board. Or a jury throwing out Mesi's suspension, should he take the matter to court.
This much is certain, though. He could have been a contender. Especially in today's watered-down heavyweight division.
Last week went much better for the next-biggest name in local boxing, as Nick Casal of Niagara Falls romped to his eighth knockout win in as many professional fights.
Fighting at 143 pounds, Casal dispatched 34-year-old Sean Holley via knockout with seven seconds left in the fourth round of a scheduled six at the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif. Holley, who fell to 8-15-1, had previously lost to two of the competitors on "The Contender" television series, getting stopped in three rounds by Ishe Smith and dropping a four-round decision to Sergio Mora.
The bout was Casal's second scheduled six-rounder, but he has yet to hear the bell for the fifth. A favorite of promoter Gary Shaw, he's set to return to action May 7 at Mandelay Bay in Las Vegas against an opponent yet to be determined. That fight will be on the undercard of the lightweight unification bout between WBC titlist Jose Luis Castillo and WBO beltholder Diego Corrales.
With the Buffalo Bills idle until the 55th pick in last weekend's National Football League draft, don't feel bad if you found something else to do with your time.
The selection of two University of Miami products -- wide receiver Roscoe Parrish in the second round and tight end Kevin Everett in the third -- did evoke some Buffalo draft memories, though, and not particularly good ones.
The last time the Bills took two Hurricanes in the same draft was 1984, when they took undersized cornerback Rodney Bellinger and oversized and badly named fullback Speedy Neal with two of their three third-round picks.
Neal lasted 12 games, rushing for 175 yards and catching nine passes for the first of two straight 2-14 Bills teams. Bellinger stuck around for two more years, giving him the dubious honor of occupying a roster spot during one of the darkest periods in franchise history, as Buffalo went 8-40 during his three-season stint.
I'm not trying to say the drafting of Parrish and Everett is a harbinger of bad things to come. I'm just saying.
| Niagara Falls Reporter | www.niagarafallsreporter.com | April 26 2005 |