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GUILTY FIGHT NITE AT THE ORLEANS

MAIN EVENT

By Lawrence Hidaka

IT’S THE “TYE FIELDS SHOW”!

Former San Diego State baller Tye Fields and his million friends invaded the Orleans for the third time tonight, and for the third time the 6‘9“ 271 pound “Big Sky” emerged a KO winner. Tonight’s victim in the scheduled 10 round main event was former WBA heavyweight titlist Bruce Seldon who was dragged out of retirement to put a name on Fields’ record. Tonight at 38 years of age and 263 pounds, Seldon was barely recognizable. It’s hard to believe that the former “Atlantic City Express” was once an exciting, chiseled KO artist oft-featured on the old USA Tuesday Night Fights.

A trademark of the young Seldon was to come out swarming at the opening bell. He scored eight first round knockouts in his career. One suspected he might try the same strategy tonight, hoping to get lucky early. That didn’t happen. When the first bell rang, Seldon did his best to stay as far away from Fields as possible. Throwing punches did not figure into his gameplan. Fields, meanwhile, stalked him, pawing with his right jab. Seldon, unburdened of the chore of punching, used his hands to cover his face. At the end of the 1st, Fields went back to his corner and sat down on the biggest stool in the history of prizefighting. In the 2nd, Seldon looked pretty spent from his 1st round efforts. Within the first minute of the round, Seldon went down to a right hand that wasn’t very well thrown and didn’t look like it landed very cleanly. Seldon got up and the fight continued, but within moments Fields landed a left hook to the body, then shoved his left hand in Seldon’s face, which was enough to cause Seldon to crumple in the corner. While referee Kenny Bayless counted, Seldon gestured to his side as if to say, “It hurts very much right here where he hit me.” He did not get up. KO at 1:14 of the 2nd for Tye Fields, who runs his record to 34-1, 32KOs. Seldon goes back into retirement at 38-6, 31KOs.

Tye Fields is now 3 for 3 in bad fights at the Orleans. You can’t blame Fields, he’s a late starter in boxing, training hard and doing his job, putting away the guys they place in front of him. And it takes some kind of guts to enter the ring with skills as modest as his. Will I be there the for the next episode of “The Tye Fields Show”? You bet. He and his million friends can’t help but infuse the Mardi Gras ballroom with energy and excitement. And the big stool is a show in itself.

UNDERCARD ACTION

Thickly muscled bantamweight Juan Mercedes (118½) of Puerto Rico, in his eighth fight this year, scored an impressive 2nd round TKO over Rodolfo Garay (119) of Mexico in a scheduled 6. Both men threw their best shots in the 1st, with Mercedes winning the power struggle. Mercedes stunned Garay with a left hook to the jaw, then sent him down with another left hook to the body. Garay got up, but was stunned again later in the round by a left-right to the head. The trading continued in the 2nd, until Mercedes landed a big counter left hook to the jaw, sending Garay down again. Again Garay rose, but late in the round Garay took hard clean shots in the corner, forcing referee Kenny Bayless to step in. TKO at 2:50 to the 2nd for Juan Mercedes, who improves to 11-1, 8KOs. Rodolfo Garay falls to 14-4-1, 8KOs. Wouldn’t mind seeing Mercedes another two or three times this year if he keeps fighting like this.

A scheduled 10 round featherweight bout between Cristobal Cruz (130) and Gerardo Zayas (129½) ended in a no decision when the fight was stopped in the 4th because of a gash over the right eye of Zayas caused by an accidental head butt. It was competitive through 3, but Cruz appeared to be taking over when it was stopped. Cruz remains at 32-7-1, 21KOs, Zayas 16-10-2, 10KOs.