Mullings wins mismatch exhibition in Manchester
The main bout between Jamaican boxer Sakima Mullings and his Guyanese challenger Winston Pompey hit a snag in the first leg of the Jamaica Elimination Boxing Series, International Edition, B at the Manchester High School Open Air Theatre on Saturday night, as it was not sanctioned by the Jamaica Boxing Board Of Control (JBBC).
The bout was ruled a mismatch and was therefore an exhibition, much to the dismay of winner Mullings.
The event was staged by PP Boxing Production in association with Heavy Metals Gym and was scheduled for six rounds, but Mullings ended the fight in the second with a knockdown. After Jamaica’s leading boxer decked Pompey to the delight of the super large turnout for the boxing extravaganza which offered 10 bouts, Referee Peter Richards did not attempt to count the fallen fighter out but instead waved the contest as over as there was no need for the count. The final result, however, left organisers of the event disappointed and incensed.
But the manner in which the fight ended should not have surprised the organisers, according to information coming from Leroy Brown, general secretary of the JBBC. Brown indicated that the organisers were informed of the ruling that the bout would not have been sanctioned as a legitimate contest because of its composition. Nonetheless, it would be allowed to continue as part of the programme, but only as an exhibition bout.
The explanation offered was that Mullings is a superior fighter who has some 25 wins against Pompey’s three wins and six defeats. It was pointed out that Mullings had already fought and knocked out Pompey, therefore, the ruling of the board to allow this undertaking would have been irresponsible regarding carrying out its function, as the pairing was deemed a mismatch and the organisers were advised accordingly, Brown said.
There was excitement from the opening bell by the industry for the amateur card that included six fights of three rounds each, where Jamaican boxers came up against boxers from the USA.
The crowd came to satisfy its passion for boxing and was royally entertained, even though Jamaica went down 2-5 in matches to the USA with Sanjay Williams of Bruising Gym registering the first of two wins against amateurs for Jamaica in the 132lb lightweight class against Malik Lewis.
In other amateur fights, Arnold Anderson of St Thomas Gym went down to Marcel Barlatier in the 125lb bantamweight division; Ramone Chung of St Thomas Gym lost to Aaron Aponte in the 141lb light welterweight class; Ricardo Carter, who was knocked off his legs in round two, went on to lose to Luis Melendez in the 132lb lightweight class; Oshane Cleary of Heavy Metal Gym was the pick of the Jamaican amateurs and defeated Drew Dwelly to win the 172lb light heavyweight class. An off-colour -looking Omar Campbell of Bruising Gym lost narrowly to Gaspard Pierre in the heavyweight class.
In the first of the three official professional fights, Andre Slowly failed to answer the bell for the second round in a 123lb class bantamweight, therefore conceding victory to his USA opponent Luis Rivera. In the second pro fight Glenroy “Bumpy” Beckford, campaigning in the welterweight division, lost to Jevaun James from the USA, while Richard “Frog” Holmes got the better of Kevin “Busboy” Hylton to win the junior middleweight division in the lone local clash.
Richard “Shrimpy” Clarke, the former fly and super flyweight boxer of the 1980s and 1990s who won the World Boxing Council (WBC) Continental Americas Flyweight Title, the WBC International Light Flyweight Title, and the British Commonwealth Flyweight Title, and who was a challenger for the WBC Flyweight title against Sot Chitalada and the North American Boxing Federation (NBAF) Flyweight Title against Yasias Zamudio, was honoured at the function on Saturday night during the function.
Clarke is currently the head coach at Stanley Couch Gym on Victoria Avenue in down town, Kingston. He has coached Donovan “Police” Campbell to win the Wray and Nephew Contender boxing series.
Two more fights to be staged by the promoters are scheduled for May and November.