Takoma Park's Wilson Loses World Title Shot

DOVER, Del., Feb. 8 -- Takoma Park cruiserweight boxer Darnell "The Ding-a-Ling Man" Wilson had hoped his bout last night with former amateur star B.J. Flores would propel him into position for a shot at a world championship. Instead, the taller, faster, undefeated Flores piled up a big lead early and then held on against Wilson's late onslaught to score a 12-round unanimous-decision at the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino.

The loss derailed a dramatic surge in the career of Wilson, 33, who rebounded after a streak of four lackluster defeats to knock out four straight contenders to move into the title picture. The winner of the bout last night was guaranteed a No. 2 ranking by the International Boxing Federation.

Wilson, whose record fell 22-6-3, lost his U.S. Boxing Association 200-pound title in the match. The judges scored 115-113, 118-110, 116-112, all for Flores of Willard, Mo., who improved to 21-0-1.

Flores, five inches taller than Wilson at 6 feet 3, used a sizable reach advantage to rack up points early. Working behind a sharp, stinging left jab, he landed a powerful right hand toward the end of the first round.

Wilson, a notorious slow starter, lunged amateurishly throughout the bout as Flores was able to land punches and then slide to the side, out of danger.

In the middle of the third round, Wilson appeared to land a powerful right that drove Flores to one knee. He was up quickly, and moments later threw Wilson down to the canvas. Neither incident was ruled a knockdown by referee Steve Smoger.

Wilson appeared to have little response for Flores until the eighth round, when he opened with a powerful right uppercut and then launched an all-out attack. Wilson is widely considered the hardest-punching active boxer, and his knockout of Emmanuel Nwodo last June was considered the best of the year.

In the days before the fight, Flores had said Nwodo would have survived in his fight with Wilson had he been more experienced. Flores, a 2001 and 2002 U.S. amateur heavyweight champion, showed his poise, escaping danger in the eighth round even as the raucous crowd booed him for running away.

Wilson had his moments through the remainder of the fight, landing a big right against Flores in a neutral corner in the 10th round and hurting him again in the closing minutes of the bout as the crowd screamed for him to score a knockout.

Wilson, eyes puffy after the decision was announced, said he had thought he had won.

"I thought I pulled it out, or at least to an even fight," Wilson said.

"He made it close," said Wilson's trainer, 1976 Olympic silver medal winner Charles Mooney. "We didn't stick to our plan, to take it to him."

"I pulled it out at the end," Wilson said.