It’s a knockout!
COMPETITIVE amateur boxing moved to the Stony Hill Primary and Junior High School in upper St Andrew on September 26, which was underlined by a set of exciting matches that obviously captured the imagination of boxing lovers.
The occasion marked the staging of Bruising Gym’s 7th Anniversary Boxing Show with a competitive and highly entertaining, eight-fight card. It attracted an enthusiastic crowd of well over 450 spectators who savoured the compelling open courtyard show put on by their own rural St Andrew boxing gym to recognise its coming of age.
Locals had turned out to see their fighters compete against outside competition and were not disappointed as five of their eight fighters on show scored noteworthy wins.
All gave of their best, including Bruising Gym’s two most promising fighters on the card in light heavyweight Omar Campbell and middleweight Michael Gardner who both came away winners.
James Douglas, who fought in the light welterweight open class, and lightweight Damian Fuller won their fights as well, but it was Campbell who really put on a grand show against Yovan Panton from the Stanley Coach Gym in Kingston.
Ruffed up in round one of three with a busted lip, Campbell stormed back to take the next two rounds and forced a majority decision over Panton to end as the pick of the fighters for the night.
He displayed the sustained ruggedness and determination that could see him following in the footsteps of gym mates Sakima Mullings and Richard Holmes, both Wray & Nephew Contender standouts, into the ranks of professional boxing.
James Douglas gave Bruising Gym their first win of the proceedings with a light welterweight, open-class victory over Joel Wedderburn. Patrick Heron, from the Port Antonio Gym, had earlier won ahead of Cory Clarke in the novices welterweight division.
Another who showed the will to apply himself against a tough opponent was Fuller against Seantoine Johnson. The Bruising Gym Lightweight craftsman won a narrow decision against the St Thomas Boxing Gym talent. Johnson, a regular on the amateur section at the Wray & Nephew Contender Boxing Series, at times seemed to be at his wits end as to how to get the better of Fuller.
Separate and apart from action in the ring, the occasion also provided the opportunity to acknowledge the worth of interested boxing personalities in the sport by rewarding their efforts. Show producer, Coach Carl Grant, officially received his AIBA 3-Star Coach Certificate from attorney-at-law Donna Parchment-Brown, the new custos of St Andrew.
Grant had earlier completed the course in Cuba, but was only now presented officially with the certificate.
The certificate has elevated Grant to be Jamaica’s highest-certified boxing coach, whose accreditation will allow him to coach in any part of the world and to also enter any boxing ring area as coach.
Nine other individuals received commendation in the form of plaques for outstanding service to the continuing efforts to uplift boxing in Jamaica. Six of the plaques went to boxers and three others who have served the sport at the executive and administrative ranks.
Boxing recipients included Mullings and Holmes (at the professional level) and in the amateur ranks, Omar Campbell, Kestna Davis, Felice Groves and Michael Gardner, all of whom have represented Jamaica from the Bruising Gym as amateurs.
The other recipients are Leroy Brown, Jamaica Boxing Board general secretary, former President William Tavares-Finson, and Robert Forbes, Olympia Crown Hotel proprietor.
Bruising Gym won five of the evening’s seven competitive events as the eighth was purely for entertainment where three blindfolded boxers were put in the ring with a referee.
The boxers had to rely on their instincts, movement and sound to manouvre in the ring. Even the referee, at times, though not blindfolded, was exposed to the wrath from the blindfolded boxers, whose wild blows sometimes ended up in his direction.
Bruising Gym’s managing director and head coach Grant was pleased with the event.
“On Saturday, September 26, we had a wonderful turnout at the Stony Hill Primary and Junior High School where we marked our seventh anniversary… (and) that was a great success; boxing won on the night,” he said.
Grant also sought to thank corporate partners and others whose input helped to make the night the success it was.
“I must give thanks to all who made this possible, including Stony Hill Primary and Junior High, the Olympia Crown Hotel, JUTC, Stony Hill Super Market, Diamond Paint, New Era Fencing, and Bruising Entertainment.
“I must acknowledge that without the assistance from these individuals and institutions, this highly entertaining programme would not have been possible. Let me not forget that Mr Sakima Mullings loaned to us the boxing ring and Connecticut-based Elephant In The Room, and donated the nine trophies that were presented to individuals who have worked unstintingly to keep boxing alive in Jamaica,” said Grant.