Boxing
Mesi gets minor title fight
by MATT KRUEGER Reporter

Four years after winning the North American Boxing Federation heavyweight title, "Baby" Joe Mesi will get the chance to strap more gold around his waist when he fights Rafael Pedro June 2 at L'Auberge du Lac Hotel and Casino in Lake Charles, La.

The bout is for the World Boxing Council U.S. title, a minor belt sanctioned by the organization that ranked Mesi its No. 1 contender to the world title three years ago.

"It's one of those belts everyone makes fun of until you win a big belt," Mesi's father and manager Jack Mesi said. "Then everyone looks back and says, 'Look what he did.' We're excited about where this can take us."

Now 29th in the WBC rankings, Mesi is 6-0 in his comeback from a two-year suspension for suffering brain bleeds in his March 2004 win over Vassiliy Jirov. A win over Pedro would push his record to 36-0. He has 28 knockouts.

"I expect a bump in the rankings due to our accomplishments so far and this shot at a small belt," Jack Mesi said. "If we win, we should get another bump in the rankings. By the end of the summer, we could be back in the top 10, or at least knocking on the door."

Mesi won the NABF title with his first-round knockout of Robert Davis on June 24, 2003. He also won the New York State title with an eighth-round knockout of Anthony Green on Sept. 17, 1999. Both of those fights were held in Buffalo.

While not as experienced, Pedro (20-5-1, 14 knockouts) offers a challenge to Mesi (35-0, 28 knockouts) with his size. He's 6 foot 7 and usually weighs around 250 pounds for his fights. Mesi is 6 foot 1 and usually fights at 230 pounds.

"He's a piece of sculpted marble," Jack Mesi said of Pedro, who hasn't fought since knocking out Gary Butler a year ago. "He's an imposing, fabulous specimen of an athlete. And he has a world-class trainer. It's on."

Mesi's last fight, a first-round knockout of Ron Johnson on April 14, was the sixth fight in a year for the 33-year-old. He's won three of his last four by knockout, albeit against competition much softer than what he faced before his injury.

Now that he says he has worked off most of the ring rust he accumulated during his suspension, the Sweet Home High School graduate and his team are confident he'll climb back toward the upper echelon of fighters after this bout.

"If we win and get a bump in the rankings, then we can approach the big names and make some money," Jack Mesi said. "We've been contacted by a lot of ranked boxers who want to fight Joe."