KEMAHL Russell and Richard Holmes who dominated the amateur ranks as middleweight and welterweight, respectively, before turning their attention to the professional ranks, will seek palpable reward to enhance their growing reputation to become the fifth winner of the Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum Contender 2015 Boxing Series at the National Indoor Sports Arena today.

Fight time as usual is at 8:30 pm with an undercard that features one amateur bout over three rounds; a six-rounder rematch between middleweights Kevin Hylton and Guyanese Edmond Declou and a fight between last year’s Contender winner Sakima Mullings to be finalised.

The main event, scheduled for 10 rounds, is slated to glove off at approximately 9:30 pm.

The after-party frolic will then follow featuring Busy Signal, Cham and Sizzla.

To reach the final in the Contender Boxing Series these two promising Jamaican boxing specimen man-handled both pre-tournament favourites Devon Moncriffe and Tsetsi Davis, in the semi-finals on June 24 and July 1, respectively. The aim is to pocket the major share of the nearly $3,000,000 and the title of Jamaica’s Ultimate Middleweight Contender.

Whichever way the fight goes the contenders will take home their biggest payday, from the sport to date as the winner will take away $2,000,000, and the runner-up pocketing $500,000. The third-placed finisher will receive $250,000 and fourth-placed finisher $200,000.

The main event is expected to be well contested by these two young pugilists who put themselves through a rigorous training programme to get to this stage of the Contender Series for the first time.

Russell, aged 26, has the most impressive record over his short boxing career with 30 fights undefeated with an illustrious amateur boxing career of 24 fights as a middleweight or light heavyweight.

The other six victories were scored as a professional and at a stage of rapid improvement under the watchful eyes of his English trainer, Carlton Carew.

Russell began his professional career in the Contender Series three seasons ago against fellow debutant Jermaine Bowen, whom he dismissed by the TKO route. This followed a trip to Guyana where he fought Romeo Norville and knocked him out.

He then gained a six-round decision over Winston Pompey for his third win. Following his hit in Guyana Russell returned home to continue his carnage in the Contender Series as the “Hit Man” and further improved his professional fight record to six wins and set himself up for win number 31 with a decisive unanimous victory over former Contender winner Moncriffe.

But he faces one major obstacle, in achieving goal 31 — the implacable 27-year-old Richard ‘Frog’ Holmes.

A young veteran of eight years as a boxing contender with nine wins and four defeats in 13 fights, Holmes is always on the hunt looking forward to reaching the top of his chosen profession with proper guidance.

“Since beginning my profession in the Contender Series under the watchful eyes of my trainer Carl Grant I have always endeavoured to be champion one day. Hence my diligence over the past seasons to improve my all-around boxing skills for greater proficiency. This no doubt I believe will assist me to reach the top and in so doing win the Contender Series. I have one foot on the threshold but to cross the other foot will not be easy. Neither would it be for my opponent.

“Anything in life that is worthwhile to achieve is never easy to come by. But to get there you may just have to work until you drop to get where you want to go. To win the Contender Series, for me, is just the tip of the iceberg.

“Nonetheless, the immediate focus is winning the Contender title but looking beyond the Contender towards an even more substantial title is my ultimate aim. I am justly proud of what I have done so far where I have reached, but the real achievement is some way off,” Holmes noted.