Boxing
Mesi gearing up career with tougher fights
by MATT KRUEGER Reporter

Town of Tonawanda heavyweight "Baby" Joe Mesi is stepping up his caliber of opponent in the ring and becoming more of a player out of it with his own promotional company. File photo

Town of Tonawanda heavyweight "Baby" Joe Mesi has no shortage of names on his dance card these days.

The undefeated former No. 1 contender has one fight signed against a tough gatekeeper and is looking to step in the ring against a former two-time world champion and another up-and-comer. Mesi (35-0, 28 knockouts) will fight Sherman "The Tank" Williams (33-10-2, 19 knockouts) Aug. 18 at the South Town Exhibition Center in Sandy, Utah. The Sweet Home High School graduate is also in negotiations to meet Brian "The Beast" Minto (27-2, 16 knockouts) later this year. But the biggest name on Mesi's hit list is Hasim "The Rock" Rahman (42-6-2, 33 knockouts), the former champion who authored one of the sport's biggest upsets with a knockout victory over then-champion Lennox Lewis.

"Things have been quiet in my career ever since my injury," Mesi said, referring to his two-year suspension for bleeding on the brain. "I've been reinstated and had a handful of wins. They were wins that weren't much to talk about. They were tune-up fights that I was expected to take after more than two years off. So far, so good. We've won those fights. We got the wheels turning. I've progressed very well, but we're at the point now when we're stepping it back up into contention."

The first step for 33-year-old Mesi is Williams, 34, who has been in the ring with some big-named fighters in his career. Williams lost an eight-round unanimous decision to current WBA champion Ruslan Chagaev in 2005 and earned a 10-round draw against former title challenger Jameel McCline in 2000.

"Although Sherman Williams is more or less a journeyman, a gatekeeper in the division, he's a very dangerous fighter," Mesi said. "He's very, very durable. Although I'm hoping for a knockout, I'm planning to go the 10 scheduled rounds, because his durability is huge. He's a very tough guy and I think this is a great move by Team Mesi. There are many other gatekeepers that we could have chosen. But I think Sherman and I are on a crash course together. The winner will advance to a higher ranking and a better positioning."

Mesi and Williams have two common opponents, Derrick Banks and Robert Davis. Mesi knocked out both men in the first round before his injury, while Williams lost on points to Banks and by TKO to Davis.

Mesi and Minto were supposed to appear on the same card two weeks ago to set up a match between the two, but Mesi said he couldn't come to terms with the organizers. He's still hoping a match can be made for later this year.

"I get more e-mails about a Mesi-Minto fight," Mesi said. "I don't know why. People want to see it. I think it would be a great fight, too. Brian's a great kid and an exciting fighter. He's very offensive, but gets hit a lot. Some say that's my style as well. I think that fight makes sense. He's got a great record. I think, maybe after Sherman Williams, he might be one of our next steps."

During his speech at the Ring 44 Hall of Fame banquet Friday at Salvatore's Italian Gardens, Mesi called out Rahman to say he would knock out the former champ in the first round. He even held up a picture of Rahman's face on a stick with a sign that said "Round One."

"I want to get Rahman in the ring," Mesi told the crowd. "I'll get him in one round."

Mesi and Rahman faced each other twice as amateurs with each picking up a victory. Mesi won the first meeting with a second-round knockout in the 1993 Empire State Games. Rahman won a decision in the second bout.

Rahman was supposed to be the guest speaker at the event, but a family issue prevented it.

Although Rahman could not be there to refute Mesi's prediction, his manager, Steve Nelson, was.

"He feels his life and career would be incomplete if he didn't get that rubber match with Joe Mesi," Nelson said.

Rahman won the WBC title with a unanimous decision victory over Monte Barrett in 2005 and lost the title to Oleg Maskaev last August. His first title reign ended after five months in the rematch with Lewis.

e-mail: mkrueger@beenews.com