YET again, this newspaper must congratulate the Jamaica Boxing Board of Control and sponsor, the rum company Wray and Nephew, for another highly successful Contender series.

Just as it has done every year since its inauguration three years ago, the series, which began in March, captivated its audience — televised and on spot.

It is testament to its attractiveness that, though the main events were being shown live on television, there were good crowds at the venues, throughout. And on Wednesday’s final night, the National Indoor Sports Centre was packed to the rafters.

Not for the first time, the Contender series revived memories of the 1980s, when several Jamaican champions, led by the incomparable Mr Michael McCallum, graced the world stage.

Long before then, in the 1950s and 60s, people — especially in Kingston — flocked to community gyms to watch young men hone their boxing skills in quest of a path out of impoverishment and towards a better life. Jamaicans of that generation still speak with great pride of the exploits of Lightweight Mr Bunny Grant, who defeated Briton Mr Dave Charnley to win the Commonwealth title in 1962. It was an Independence gift to the young Jamaican nation.

Ultimately, we believe, the Wray and Nephew Contender series will be most credited for the revival in Jamaica of a sport which, a few years ago, seemed headed for the mortuary.

On Wednesday night, the skills on display may not have quite matched those possessed by people like Messrs McCallum and Grant of yesteryear.

However, Mr Devon ‘Concrete’ Moncriffe, eventual winner of the Wray and Nephew Contender Middleweight title, and beaten finalist Mr Tsetsi Davis turned in a display that would have made their famous predecessors proud.

In the classic tradition of the greatest sporting contests, there was ebb and flow and there could be no thought of anything being taken for granted. In the end, Mr Moncriffe won a very close contest, more because of his work rate and industry than anything else.

After three years, organisers will no doubt be looking at things they should do better in order to ensure that this series remains a success.

We think they would do well to contemplate the quality of some aspiring contestants before making them eligible. Boxing, by its very nature, can lead to serious injury. And there were one or two contestants early in the 2013 series, who gave the distinct impression that they did not belong in a boxing ring. We suggest that the Jamaica Boxing Board pay close attention to this aspect going forward.

That said, the Jamaica Boxing Board and Wray and Nephew deserve full praise for another job well done.