Leblond scores second Contender win for Canada

David 'Fast and Furious' Leblond gave Team Canada their second victory in the Wray and Nephew Contender series on Wednesday night at the Chinese Benevolent Association Auditorium when he scored a unanimous decision over Team Jamaica's Toriano Nicholas.

Judges Jeremy Hayes, Laurence Neufville, and Ransford Burton all scored it 49-46 for Leblond.

Jamaica now leads 4-2 in the series, with two more contests to go in the preliminary round. Canada have two of their better boxers - Ricardo Salas, ranked No. 1 by them, and Jeff Tabrizi, ranked No. 3 - to contest the next two bouts. Next Wednesday, Salas will go up against a newcomer for Jamaica, Sceantonie Johnson.

Leblond, who fought in the series last year and reached the quarter-finals with a victory over Nico Yeyo, was the aggressor throughout the evening, and really lived up to his "fast and furious" designation. He went on the attack quickly in an attempt to seize the advantage, and did so. Nicholas was also put at a disadvantage early in the fight because after about a minute of action, both boxers went after each other, and the heads collided.

Nicholas came up with a cut over his left eye and spent most of the remainder of the round pawing at it. He was totally distracted by the cut and became defensive. In the second round, he tried to keep his distance and used his jab effectively, but a marauding Leblond piled on the pressure. He hit while holding a few times and drew cautions from referee Owen Nelson for these infractions.

BEST MOMENTS

The third round was the best for Nicholas. He jabbed and moved and was able to keep Leblond at bay, but the Canadian pursued him relentlessly. A quick jab-hook-jab combination, and shortly afterwards, a solid right hook from Nicholas in this round were his best moments.

Leblond then kept the pressure on in the next two rounds to seal the deal. Nicholas said afterwards that the cut had distracted him from his game plan.

"I paid too much attention to the cut, and this distracted me," he confessed. "I could have won the fight if I had stuck to the original game plan. I am sorry that I am not moving on," he added.

Leblond beamed with pleasure and said, "I am really looking forward to the next round. Toriano gave me a good fight and I am happy. See you again soon."

In the amateur bouts, Kevonna Willis from the JDF defeated Raheem Pitter from Boys' Town on points, and Delano McLaughlin from G.C. Foster had a third-round knockout victory over Roshane Daley, who was completely exhausted and was taken from the ring on a stretcher.