It was billed as a Night of Action and that was exactly what the fair-sized crowd got when the Amateur Boxing Association of Barbados staged a 13-card bout at the Springer Memorial School on Saturday night.
The boxers enjoyed the ring – a legacy from last year’s AIBA Women’s World Championships – in putting on a good show for the fans.
Kimberley Gittens –who represented Barbados at that AIBA tournament – demonstrated that in her zone she could be a boxer of class.
The BDF Sports Programme boxer out-boxed the thick Simone Hoyte of Guyana to take their three-round contest in the 75kg class.
Hoyte employed a technique of cornering her opponent and using her weight to pummel away, but Gittens skifully dodged most of these traps and responded with some telling jabs and punches.
The men’s light heavyweight battle proved to be the thriller of the night, with Adrian Biscette of the BDF, showing top condition, overshadowing Sheldon Lawrence of Trinidad and Tobago with plenty of moves, punches and showmanship.
With the fans screaming for “Biscuit”, the powerhouse could have finished off his opponent but opted to leave him standing to entertain the crowd.
As has been the trend with recent boxing promotions, the card started about one hour late. And the delay was extended further as the ringside doctor was forced to give medical checks to a Guyanese boxer who had only reached the island hours earlier.
Problems with REDJet Airlines denied the visiting fighters the chance to arrive a day earlier and they were forced to scramble for alternative flight arrangements to get to Barbados.
All of that was forgotten with the first three fights in the novice division whetting the appetites of the aficionados. These bouts were so close that the computer was used to determine the winners.
The computer awarded the 52kg battle to Justyn Brathwaite of the National Gym over Ision Fraser also of the National Gym.
Addisa Mitchell of Belfield took the 64kg bout from Alixx Rodgers of the National Gym, and Dairon Butcher of the Barbados Youth Service won a 69kg bout from Wayne Alonzo of the National Gym.
Fabian Best of Belfield won the other 69kg battle from Rasheen Brathwaite of the National Gym who spent most of the contest covering up.
A women’s novice bout between two fighters from Belfield went to Deandra Bryan over Chris Ann Layne.
Ezra Lorde picked up another win for Belfield when he defeated Shaquille Denny of the National Gym in the 60kg.
The 75kg encounter between Demario Murray of the BYS and Choyo Fields of Four Hill Gym ended on a not-so-friendly note with Murray slapping away the offered hand of his opponent.
And when Fields was declared the winner he went over the top in celebrating by whooping and throwing his mouthpiece into the roof.
Leonard Harewood continued Barbados’ success in the regional bouts, winning a close 75kg encounter against Laured Steward who came back in the third round to offer a serious challenge.
Ricardo Blackman took the flyweight encounter by beating Tevin Hurley of England who trains in Belfield.
Cobia Breedy stirred the crowd with his leopard outfit – tail and all – plus the word “Beast” emblazoned in the back. Unfortunately, he did not impress Stefan Goveia who picked up Guyana’s sole win of the night.
The heavyweights closed out the card, with Anderson Emanuel recording an unimpressive victory over Denzil Salazar of Guyana.
