Gastineau, controversy score a TKO

Controversy keeps hitting Mark Gastineau like a solid left jab.

In his second professional fight, Gastineau (2-0) scored asecond-round TKO over heavyweight "Iron" Mike Acklie Thursday at theHammond Civic Center when the bout was stopped on the advice of ringphysician Al Willardo.

After winning the first round decisively, Acklie - a 248-pounderfrom Lincoln, Neb. - suffered cuts late in the second round and wasbleeding from his right ear and above his right eye.

Willardo examined Acklie, then advised referee Sean Curtin tostop the fight - much to the chagrin of the crowd of 300. The judgeshad the fight even at one round each.

"I was robbed," said Acklie, whose record fell to 6-3-1. "Itook the fight to him. I was bleeding, but I wasn't hurt. My sisterhits harder than he does."

Gastineau's victory came in the wake of his controversial debutJune 8, when he knocked out Derrick Dukes in 12 seconds. Dukes latersuggested he was paid to throw the fight.

Because of the incident, two members of the Indiana BoxingCommission were in attendance.

"I knew all about that fight," Acklie said. "And I knew thejudges and the ref would be on his side because he's a big celebrityand I'm a nobody from Lincoln, Nebraska. I'd fight him anytime,anyplace."

Gastineau, who is scheduled to fight against a yet-to-be-namedopponent Sept. 11 in Oklahoma City, wasn't pleased with hisperformance, although he looked better in the second round.

"I was nervous," Gastineau said. "I'm relieved, but I'm upset.My jab wasn't coming off and I wasn't the person in the ring I wantedto be.

"Maybe sometime before I get knocked out I'll show that personI'm capable of being." Rick Parker, Gastineau's promoter, blamed himself for schedulingtoo tough of an opponent for his unseasoned fighter.

"He's been under tremendous scrutiny so we had to step up inclassification," Parker said. "He proved that when he gets hit, hestands there and fights. But this is the last time we try to pleaseother people."

In the feature bout, Marty Jakubowski (24-0) won the IndianaLightweight Championship, scoring a unanimous decision over MarkBrannon.