Boxing: The new Rocky

WITH ALL the hype and expectation that preceded him into the hallowed ring at Madison Square Garden last Saturday night, it was perhaps inevitable that disappointment and a bruised ego should clamber back out between the ropes and follow heavyweight boxing’s great white hope back to his dressing room.

The 11,000 fight fans who had braved the heavy snow to reach the mecca of boxing saw Joe Mesi (pronounced Macy) dumped on the canvas for the first time in his career only to scrape home against the respectable if not reputable Monte Barrett on a paper-thin majority decision.

It was enough, however, to take Mesi’s record to 28-0 with 25 knockouts and keep him on course for a projected world title fight next year.