By Michael Marley

Boxing matchmakers can be compared to the tightrope walkers at any big circus.

Some specialize is being mismatchmakers, usually following the commandment of a paying promoter who just wants to build a gaudy but synthetic ring resume for some local yokel.

But the matchmakers who can walk the wire--who can make good, competitive fights and still generally have the "home team" (red corner in most locales) emerging victorious--are few and far between.

Filipino-American and Queens, New York, resident Joe Quiambao, whose baby face belies his 36 years, is one of the more talented and rising fast matchmakers.

He has branded himself as one such specialist to watch.

I came to that conclusion based on one match on the July 10 Lou DiBella Entertainment show held at the spacious Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn.

You had the usual buildup bouts, popular but lighthitting Gabriel Bracero (now 17-0 but a mere three KOs) against some 8-6 journeyman from Key West, and amazing Irish ticketseller Seanie Monaghan not surpisingly extending his record to 8-0 with a stoppage over punch absorber Brian Bernard of St. Joseph, Mo.

Folks, they don't import opponents from Key West and St. Joseph with the idea that they will beat the hometown heroes. All a promoter like DiBella hopes for is that the chosen foes are reasonably competitive.

Which is where Joe Q's talent, growing progressively since he began with Volcanic Lou in February of 2005 after a middling ring career as a 106 pound New York Golden Gloves competitor, comes into play.

In terms of give and take, the best fight on the club show was the most unlikely, one put together by and between ex-DBE matchmaker Mike Marchionte and Quiambao.

Let Joe Q, whose signed Manny Pacquiao bobblehead doll on his desk was nodding agreement as he spoke when I visited the DBE offices in the shadow of Madison Square Garden in the afternoon.

"We just signed this good prospect, a kid named Jonathan Cepeda from West Palm," Quiambao said. "He was 10-0, with nine KOs, and I wanted someone to test him. At one point, I had 10 bouts on the show, we wound up with six for various reasons.

"My thinking was to let Cepeda earn his KOs, not to go away thinking how easy it is. We also want to test a guy like him before they go to the next level, before he is on (Showtime's) Sho Box and under all the bright lights with all the pressure.

"I spoke to Mike, who was Lou's matchmaker before me, and he suggested Rahman Yusubov, a 10-2 guy with eight KOs living in Dallas. Yusubov, who is the same age (27) as Cepeda, was coming off a loss (in Oklahoma to Carson Jones) and he moved up in weight to fight Cepeda at 158 pounds.

"Look, Cepeda is tough, he was in the amateur ranks with Danny Jacobs, Sean Porter...guys like that.

"Elvis Crespo, he's the adviser to Cepeda and another fighter we have. A lot of this was right time, right place. Crespo agreed to the match."

The bottom line? A wicked scrap in which Yusobv landed some hammer blows but took jawbreaker punches to the head and some rips to the body. Cepeda, a 27 year old of Dominican heritage, must have wondered if Yusobov had steel implants around his jawline.

I don't want to say Yusubov lacked defense. The nice way to put it was he led with his chin, which as previously noted, looked to be granite.

Finally the ref stopped the onslaught by Cepeda. The girtty Baku, Azerbaijan, fighter took a TKO by 5 loss but showed his heavy mettle.

The DBE fighter had a victory and the fight went into the TV "can" for showing on a delayed telecast.

"No doubt," Quiambao said, "the other guy made Cepeda earn that one."

Quiambao, who keeps earning his stripes, then paid the loser the ultimate compliment abhy matchmaker can render.

"Would I bring Yusubov back on another show? I would love to. Any guy who fights like that is always welcome."

The Education of Joe Quiambao continues. He works without a safety net as do all good matchmakers.

In the finest New York matchmaker tradition of Hall Of Famers Teddy Brenner and Top Rank's Bruce "Southland" Trampler, Joe Q is making his way.

The tightrope seems to be expanding, not contracting.

One day, Joe Q won't even carry that balancing pole.