Talented NJ fighter dominates, yet fails to impress
By: Mike Indri
Retired Boxers Foundation

Photo: Matt LaSaracina

The letdown was obvious. Fighting short notice replacement Thomas Reid would not present the same challenge, nor bring the same acclaim, as facing and beating former title contender Eric Harding; Shaun George’s originally scheduled opponent for last night’s ten round main event at the Robert Treat Hotel, in nearby Newark, NJ.

Earlier this week Harding bailed out of what would have been his first fight in over 18 months (since his 12 round UD loss to current WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson 06/02/2006). Harding claimed to have injured his thumb in training. Many, including George, felt the nearly thirty-five year-old fighter simply was not battle ready.

Nevertheless a fighter as talented and skilled as George can not allow himself not to perform at his best, especially while on a quest to prove to the boxing public that he is “the best light heavyweight in the world!”
From round one’s opening bell George quickly established himself the quicker, stronger and much more proficient boxer, peppering the veteran Jackson, TN native with his stinging jab. The only problem was that George never was able, or willing, to commit to a solid three minutes of aggression.

Fighting in spurts, George flashed moments of brilliance.
Unable to stay focused though, George was getting tagged with Reid’s telegraphic, looping punches. Now a loser in seven of his last nine fights, the journeyman Reid (35-20-1, 4 KO’s) always comes ready
to fight and realized his only hope was to catch his distracted foe. Not a big puncher, Reid has only been stopped four times during his fifty-six fight professional career and takes pride in his sturdy chin.
George’s body shots were taking their toll on his forty year old opponent, and if George had been a good son-in-law and listened to trainer Tommy Brooks’ golden advice of continuing his below-the-chin assault midway through the bout, George would not have had to wait for the judge’s decision and the overly large crowd would have left much happier