Exciting National Amateur Boxing Champs

Dateline: November 22, 2009

Many of the talented new boxers unearthed by the Jamaica Boxing Board over the past year, put their skills on display last week-end before enthusiastic spectators, and it was the younger boxers who stole the spotlight, at the exciting 2009 National Amateur Boxing Championships at the Stanley Couch Gym on Friday and the YMCA Hall on Saturday.

Eighty boxers, including 32 teenagers, competed for 21 divisional titles and the keen gym rivalry was evident in the final results, which saw all nine competing gyms sharing the 40 medals. Bruising Gym of Stony Hill won nine, Job’s Gym of St. James took home eight, Stanley Couch (Kingston) five, Jamaica Defence Force and Boys Town (Kingston) four each, Hard Knocks (Savanna-la-mar) and Heavy Metal (St. Ann’s Bay) three each and G.C. Foster (St. Catherine) and G4S (Kingston) two each. No medals were awarded in the middleweight Open class as both finalists were disqualified for persistent rule infringements.

Thirteen-year-old Kenyatta Baker of Job’s who won the award as the most outstanding Junior, took the pinweight (101 lbs.)title with a points win over Andre Grey of Boys Town, while in the light-bantamweight division, Kestna Davis of Bruising, outpointed Andrew McKenzie of Heavy Metal for the junior title. Romario Stevens of Job’s outpointed Raheem Pitter of Boys Town for the Schoolboy bantam crown, Roxroy Farquharson(Job’s) won on points over teammate Javene Reid in the junior bantams and Shaquille Linton (Stanley Couch) outpointed Oshane Clearly of Heavy Metal for the schoolboy open title.

The featherweight novice title went to Boys Town’s Nickoy Jackson on points over Marlon White of Job’s while in the lightweights, Novardo Dacres (Bruising) stopped Romario Scott (Job’s) in round two to take the junior title. Cleon Phillips (Job’s) also had a second round stoppage win over Peter Roberts (Bruising) to take the open youth title while in the seniors, Fanna Walker (Couch) lost on points to Shantaz McInnis (JDF).

Krasha Gibbs gave Heavy Metal its only gold medal with a points win over Patrick Townsend (Hard Knocks) in the light-welter youth class and the novice title went to Michael Manning ( G4S) who stopped Orane Bradshaw (G.C. Foster) in the second round.

In the junior light- middle Bruising’s Michael Gardner disposed of Xavier Bailey (G.C.Foster) in just 53 seconds to take gold, but his teammate Julian Brown was taken the distance by G. C. Foster’s Leon English for the novice title.

The most anticipated bout of the championship between defending champion and national representative Rikardo Smith of Hard Knocks and promising Sakima Mullings of Bruising for the open welterweight title, lived up to expectations with Mullings pulling off a narrow points victory which also earned him the Most Outstanding Open Class Boxer award.

The light heavy open final between Oshane Reid (Job’s) and the favoured Everton Eccleston (Couch) brought the house down and at the end of the three-round slugfest, it was Reid who got the nod of the judges.

More excitement was to follow immediately as Cerana Clarke of G4S displayed awesome power in knocking out Bruising’s Dewayne Blake in 1:10 of the first round to win the novice heavyweight gold and the award as the most outstanding novice. Not to be outdone, Bruising’s Richard Walker forced the referee to stop his novice super heavyweight final against Trevor Swaby of Hard Knocks after just one minute into the first round.

To complete a good night for the heavy men, JDF’s Andre Reid gave a competent display in getting the nod over Couch’s Dukey Rowe for the open super-heavyweight title. Former national representative Shawn Wheatle, who had gained a close semifinal win over Oraine Walters, outpointed his JDF teammate Omar Nicholson in a tame welterweight final. Bruising Gym’s Carl Grant was voted Coach of the Year and Job’s Gym took the outstanding gym award,

Contributor: Leroy Brown