Undefeated junior middleweight contender Jonathan "Reid Dawg" Reid dispatched of journeyman Benji Singleton in the first round last night on Debbie King's (yes, Don's daughter) promotional debut in Nashville.

Reid, who two months ago took out Harold Pinckney in the first round, stalked Singleton throughout the round with a sledgehammer jab. Singleton rarely threw any punches in defense, resorting to his familiar defensive crouch.

Two minutes into the fight, Reid began doubling off his jab with left hooks to the body. In the last twenty seconds of the fight, Reid cornered Singleton and hit him with consecutive left hooks to the body and the head. Singleton fell to the canvas holding his eye and referee Dan Clancy gave him a ten-count.

Reid, who turned 28 last night, thought he would get more action from his usually durable opponent. "I was expecting between six to eight good rounds. I guess I caught him in the nose with the left hook."

Singleton, the veteran of over 90 professional fights, said the left hook scraped him in the eye. His explanation for failing to beat the ten-count was that he couldn't hear the referee's count. The veteran from South Carolina had nothing but praise for his opponent, saying he was as good as former world champ Laurent Boudouani whom he fought in 1996.

"He has a nice strong pop to his punches," Singleton said. "I would rate him up there with anybody I've fought and I've fought six former world champions. I'd put him up there with Boudouani."

Though Singleton's record of 21-66-4 (with 2 no contests) speaks for itself, he usually gives his opponents a better workout. In 1996, he lost a ten-round decision to Vincent Pettway. In 1995 and 1997, he lost 10-round decisions to Larry Barnes. In 1998, he lost a ten-round decision to Andrew Council. He lasted five rounds with Boudouani.

Eddie Rochelle, Reid's manager and trainer, says "we're just waiting for the big one; we're ready for anyone in the junior middleweight division."

"Jonathan will out-strength any fighter in this division, including David Reid, who is also strong, and Felix Trinidad," Rochelle predicted.

Perhaps Reid will get his chance for a big fight soon. After the entertaining seven-bout card, Debbie King announced that "I'm going to make Jonathan Reid a world champion."

Reid moved his record to 27-0 with 16 knockouts. Singleton dropped to 21-66-4 (with two no contests).

Other bouts on the card included:

Dennis McKinney W6 James Mullins
Leann Dotson TKO 1 Linda Edwards
Thomas Williams W6 Frankie Hines
Jesse Byars TKO 1 Doug Davis
Don Steele KO 4 David Smith
Alonzo Butler W4 Danny Wofford.

--David L. Hudson, Jr. is an attorney and writer based in Nashville. He can be reached at dhudson@fac.org