By Jake Donovan


In a year where one of its fights remains the leading contender for Fight of the Year, the 2010 season of ESPN2 Friday Night Fights went out with a whimper.


A special Saturday evening edition saw lightweight prospect Hank Lundy bounce back from a shocking knockout loss just over a month ago, taking his act on the road to outbox Omri Lowther en route to a well-deserved lopsided decision win at Club Metropolis in Montreal, Canada.


Scores 98-92 and 100-90 (twice) were for the televised main event, which functionally served as Plan D for what ESPN2 had in mind for its season finale.


The obvious question surrounding Lundy - who accepted the fight on very late notice as a replacement for Edner Cherry - was how his mindset would be on the heels of his first knockout loss, which came just seven weeks ago, also on ESPN2 Friday Night Fights.


His early temperament suggested that he wasn’t interested in taking any chances, at least not in the first few rounds, while both fighters took their time in figuring the other out.


For Lowther, that moment never quite came. While Lundy came in on late notice, Lowther was at the disadvantage of not being able to prepare for a fighter who switches up and fights out of the southpaw stance as often as does Lundy.


Lundy truly took over in the middle of the fight, when it became clear that Lowther was never going to quite solve the riddle in front of him. Body shots and overhand rights often found their way home, as Lundy grew confident with each passing round.


Lowther found himself in trouble at separate portions in each of the final four rounds, though never to the point where the Georgia-born, Toronto-based lightweight was on the verge of being stopped. That didn’t stop Lundy from imposing his will, and at times bullying his opponent, scoring big with a left hand in the eighth round, and with overhand rights in the ninth and tenth.


While there was little atmosphere to speak of (out of character for a show in Montreal, even if in a night club as opposed to 20,000 strong at the Bell Centre) or little action over which to get excited, the fans were given a treat in the final minute of the fight, when both fighters finally emptied the vault in their greatest efforts to send the fans home happy.


Whether or not the fans felt they got their money’s worth is immediately unknown. But at the very least, the three ringside officials got it right, making no effort whatsoever to steal the victory from the road team, as Lundy was given plenty of reason to celebrate with the announced confirmation that he was never in danger of losing the fight.


In what was billed as a crossroads bout for both fighters, Lundy avoids the possibility of his career becoming a train wreck. The win here was a huge boost in every sense of the word as he improves to 19-1-1- (10KO).


For the moment, it appears as if he’s already all the way back from last month’s shocking loss to John Molina, Jr. (no relation whatsoever to the former junior lightweight champion from a generation ago), the first defeat of his career, and one that came with his being way up on the scorecards before getting caught.


Meanwhile, it’s Lowther who is forced to hit the redemption trail. A five-fight win streak comes to a close as he falls to 14-2 (10KO).


The main event wasn’t even close to what the ESPN2 producers had in mind for their closing episode. For starters, Lundy came in as a replacement for Cherry, who abruptly pulled out of the fight last week. Lowther-Cherry became the main event after 2008 U.S. Olympic boxer Demetrius Andrade was scratched from the top spot and the card altogether, a role he was initially prepared to assume after hometown favorite and promising middleweight prospect David Lemieux suffered an injury and was forced to withdraw.


The comedy of errors in piecing together a feasible main event is right in line with what has been a disappointing 2010 all around on the boxing front.


If there’s a bright spot to their crawling to the finish line to end this year, it’s that the only way is up once 2011 is upon us.


ALSO ON TV


The televised co-feature saw fringe light heavyweight contender Nicholson Poulard twice drop Alfredo Contreras en route to a stoppage at 2:23 of the third round.


Poulard, whose half-brother is recently crowned World light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal, took his time with Contreras, not landing anything of consequence in the first two rounds. That changed in a big way in the third, when Poulard was able to land a huge right hand to send Contreras to the canvas midway through the round.


Contreras rose to his feet, but quickly found himself in trouble once again. Poulard connected with a flush right hand to put the Mexican out on his feet, with a right uppercut serving as window dressing to functionally end the fight. The referee waved off the fight without a count, as Contreras’ corner was on the ring apron to rescue their battered fighter.


The win is the third straight for Poulard, who improves to 16-3 (8KO). Contreras suffers his second straight knockout loss – the prior coming just four weeks ago – as he stumbles to 11-9-1 (5KO). The Mexican journeyman has now been stopped in four of his past five fights in span of just over a year. If commissions had any conscience whatsoever, they’d slam on the brakes and bring his career to a screeching halt.


Welterweight newcomer Samuel Vargas (5-0, 1KO) overcame a stiff challenge from journeyman Michael Springer (7-7-1, 3KO) to take a split decision in their four-round televised opener. Scores were 39-37 Vargas (twice) and 39-37 Springer.


The bout was the first on American airwaves for Vargas, who turned pro earlier this year. It wasn’t the greatest of first impressions for the transplanted Colombian, who found Springer to be a more difficult opponent than perhaps expected.


With not much to choose from in any of the rounds, it was hardly a surprise that the judges were split on their verdict. In the end, it was the right call – Vargas deserved the nod, but allowed Springer enough into the fight where he nearly found a way to blow his designed showcase opportunity.


Vargas, born in Colombia but now fights out of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada is scheduled to return to the ring next month in his adopted hometown, giving him seven fights in as many months as a pro.


Meanwhile, Springer drops his fifth straight, having not won a bout since November 2007.


OFF-TV RESULTS (PROVIDED BY MARK VESTER)


Patrick Tessier (4-11, 2KOs) won a four round unanimous decision over Francis Lafreniere (0-1-1, 0KOs) in a super middleweight rematch. The scores were indentical, 39-37 on all three cards. They fought to a majority draw the first time around.


Welterweight prospect Kevin Bizier (12-0, 8KOs) stopped Leonardo Rojas in three rounds.


Junior middleweight Ahmad Cheikho (3-2-2, 2KOs) stopped Jonathan Leveille (0-1) in the first round. Leveille was making his pro debut. Cheiko snaps a two fight losing streak.


Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com and an award-winning member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com.