NOTES

No. 1 stupid press release note from this fight card, maybe from any fight card ever: “Since the Tyson-McNeely debacle, Top Rank has received numerous calls asking for a Tyson-Butterbean fight. If Butterbean, whose real name is Eric Esch, continues his winning ways, the fans might actually get what they want.”

Butterbean is the balding 320-pounder who fights on many undercards. He actually got $25,000 for his appearance here Friday night, further establishing that the country must be completely out of the recession.

Even though he is meant to be a joke on the public, a little inside chuckle created by promoter Bob Arum and his staff, it’s an acceptable joke, because the public knows.

But Butterbean vs. Mike Tyson? Anybody putting on that promotion would face criminal charges of attempted murder.

Butterbean won his four-round prelim. But his victim this time was no ordinary tin can. This one, a pear-shaped opponent from Kansas City named George Clarke, who went to his knees twice early in the first round as if on cue, had a tattoo of Superman on his shoulder.