BOXING: Clottey Lose Decision Against Elder

Atlanta, Georgia -(Six Flags Over Georgia)-- Local undefeated hotshot, Ebo "The Extreme Machine" Elder (14-0, 10 KO's) got some much needed seasoning, winning a grueling unanimous 10 round decision over the tough Ghana lad Emmanuel "Sleek" Clottey (16-4, 12 KO's) in a junior welterweight affair.

It was not an easy night for the southpaw Elder, who has usually cruised through the opposition placed in front of him. Stunned in 4th from a succession of right uppercuts, Elder tasted the canvas for the first time in his young pro career from a freak knockdown at the end of the round. But the blonde battler showed his mettle, coming back in the 5th with an assortment of fast salvos to carve out a clear cut decision to the delight of his hometown fans.

--Tested--

Answering the opening bell with his darting right jab, Elder (140) was countered by Clottey's (137) right-hand. Landing a straight left to the face, Elder got clipped by another counter right. Up on his toes and moving, Elder scored with a cuffing one two, driving in a solid left uppercut as the stanza ended.

Exchanging at the start of the 2nd, Elder got tagged by a left hook. Stepping inside, Elder worked with his left overtime. The tough African again responded with another riveting right-hand to the chops and Elder found himself in a dog fight. Firing off a prolonged flurry, Elder, 22, suddenly absorbed more accurate rights that made him cover-up as Clottey, 27, erupted with a barrage of leather.

A series of stinging jabs connected for Elder, 5'7", in the 3rd before Clottey, 5'8", slammed in a right to the ribs. Snapping off a fast flurry, Elder took it to Clottey, who put a well placed right-hand to Ebo's muscular breadbasket. Continuing his assault, Elder was warned by the referee for a low left-hand as he dug away downstairs.

Moving in and out in the 4th, Elder scored with a right jab and a straight left. With 30 seconds to go in the round, Clottey ripped in a left hook and right uppercut that froze Elder. Stunned, Elder was rocked by more right uppercuts, but the ref pulled Clottey off him for holding behind the head. Rushing at Clottey at the bell, Elder ran into a left jab and slipped to the canvas for an official if debatable knockdown after the round had concluded.

--Slip Sliding Away--

Coming out at the beginning of the 5th, Elder banged in a clean straight left and started to box. Circling, Elder scored with a one two and stayed on the move. Getting greedy with his quicksilver combinations, Elder was smacked by another crisp right as he flailed and missed. Staying busy, Elder outhustled Clottey working with his left-hand on the inside.

Tripling up with his right jab in the 6th, Elder drove lefts to the midsection. Again getting a tad reckless, Elder was tagged by a clean right that made him retreat. Stepping right back into the fray, Elder produced his best shot of the night. A jolting compact straight left that slammed into the oncoming Clottey's chin. A succession of body blows followed as Elder came on and turned the corner in this rugged encounter.

Popping the right hook off the jab in the 7th, Elder got caught by a left hook during a torrid exchange. Making Clottey miss, Elder also made him pay with a sharp left to the noggin. Shoeshining on the inside, the faster hands of Elder again came into play as he massaged Clottey's midsection with several right hooks.

The footing in the outdoor ring was marginal at best, after being pelted by a summer's rain earlier in the evening and the ref had both camps cornermen wipe down the surface after the fighters had slipped to the deck in the 8th. Elder suffered a nick over his left eye from one of his tumbles to the wet canvas, as both boxers slid and slipped around the ring.

Trying to rally in the 9th, Clottey started strong, winging in hard rights. Countering with a series of right hooks, Elder hung tough and again took the play away from his aggressive foe. A right uppercut registered for Clottey along the ropes that kept Elder honest, but the Georgia lad again relied on his right hook and footwork to keep him out of danger.

Again getting tagged by Clottey's right-hand to start the last round, Elder rumbled in close and banged away with his potent left. After trading rights, Elder backed up Clottey with a straight left to the jaw. Working in a left uppercut, Elder was clipped by a left hook from the cantankerous Clottey at the bell.

Two officials, judges Tommy O'Mollia and David Lynn had Elder ahead 97 to 92. While judge Ed Cannor turned in an eyebrow raising 98 to 91 for Elder. BT had it a lot closer at 96 to 94 for Ebo, who showed an acceptability to righthands in his first acid test.