Canada’s Leblond claims win in uninspiring contest
Team Jamaica slipped to four wins against two defeats at the preliminary stage of the 8th Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum Boxing Championship after Toriano Nicholas failed to offer worthwhile opposition to his Team Canada opponent Dave Leblond at the Chinese Benevolent Association auditorium on Wednesday night.
Nicholas, who was making his boxing debut at these championships, received a cut above the left eyebrow in the first minute of round one in the five-round encounter, and after this, looked a beaten fighter.
Following the clash of heads, there was some bleeding but that was soon stopped by the ring side medical team headed by Dr Andre McDonald.
The injury seemed to have affected Nicholas psychologically as he never offered the level of opposition he had promised before entering the ring.
Except, perhaps, for the second round when he showed glimpses of what could have been. What was anticipated to be a fist-flying contest, slumped into a hugging and holding affair.
Referee Howard Nelson had to repeatedly step in to separate them. Leblond had to be warned a couple of times for holding on to his opponent.
Nicholas eventually lost the contest by the unanimous decision route with judges Jeremy Hayes (Canada), Ransford Burton (Jamaica) and Laurence Neufville (Jamaica), scoring the bout 46 to 49, all in favour of the winner Leblond.
It was not the preferred performance by either fighter, but French-speaking Leblond said through his coach Frank Duguay that he was not pleased with his performance on the night, but promised Jamaicans they will see an improved performance when he returns to the ring.
Nicholas, meantime, said he was “shaken up” by the cut over his eye.
“It was the first time that I got a cut while fighting and I did not know how to deal with (it) and the fight at the same time on the mental side,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the second of two amateur undercards Roshone Daley of Seaview Gardens Gym was knocked out by Delano McLachlan of the GC Foster Gym at 12 seconds of the third of a three-round fight. Daley was eventually stretchered out of the ring for further medical attention.
In the first amateur match, Kevaughn Willis of the JDF Gym scored a unanimous points decision win over Raheem Pitter of Boys’ Town Gym.