WHEN Kemahl Russell and Richard Holmes met in the fifth staging of the Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum Boxing Contender Series to contest final, it was much more than who the winner will be.

It promised a new dawn for Jamaican boxing as two of the country’s finest boxing prospects were on the rise.

But, for the time being, it looked a mismatch as two minutes, 50 seconds into the fourth round of the 10-round contest, Russell conquered Holmes and pocketed $2 million and the title of Jamaica’s Ultimate Middleweight Contender champion.

Holmes for his part in the series pocketed $500,000.

When the end came, trainer Carl Grant had seen enough unanswered punishment meted out to his fighter and threw in the towel to prevent further punishment.

Even before the fight started, there was little doubt as to who the winner would have been. Thirty fights undefeated, at both the amateur and professional levels, is no mean task, even at the Jamaica level. Russell in his demolition of the still ‘green at the ears’ Holmes looked a cut above the Contender Series level of participation, and winning was a big plus for his dedication to duty.

The fight did not last long as Russell made the latter two rounds in four a nightmare for Holmes. This, however, is nothing for Holmes to be dismayed.

For, although he found himself in a hornet’s nest and being pummeled by Russell, Holmes displayed the capacity to endure but lacked the charged equipment to stem the flurry of punches that came his way from his more advanced opponent.

It was fitting and, therefore, a prudent move by trainer Carl Grant to say enough was enough, throw in the towel to stop the carnage, and preserve the precious talent that resides in Holmes.

In his after-fight interview, trainer Grant offered: “The plan was to feed the body and throw the uppercut. This was working for a while. But it was David against Goliath and the plan of plans did not have time to develop and was never working.”

Asked whether or not he wanted the fight to stop, Holmes responded: “No. If my coach did not stop the fight I will not stop. I am a warrior, and even though I went down I will still get back up and I am going to fight.”

Russell’s trainer Castro Brown said: “Carly (English co-trainer Carlton Carew) and I know that the pace of fighting and the standard of fighting (in the Contender Series) my fighter is a class above them, and the fight would not go 10 rounds, and Russell can do 15 rounds. You have not seen the best of him yet.”