Big bouts for Brown, Russell on April 29

Two Jamaican boxers, heavyweight Ricardo “Big 12” Brown and super middleweight Kemahl “Hitman” Russell, will have important fights in Canada on Saturday, April 29, when they have feature roles on a boxing card being presented at the Pickering Casino Resort, Ontario, by United Boxing Promotions, whose principal, Tyler Buxton, is well known in Jamaican boxing circles.

Brown, who turned professional on February 26 last year, has a 6-0 record and will be facing his sternest test to date when he clashes with Jhan Carlo Delgado, who has an 8-3 record and is from Ecuador, over eight rounds. Russell, who has a 13-1 record, will go up against Marcos Jesus Cornejo, who has a 19-6 record and is from Argentina, also over eight rounds.

Brown, at six feet seven inches tall and normally fights at 260lbs, has been devastating in all his fights to date, and they have all ended inside the distance. He and his promoter have decided that he will have to step up the quality of the opposition he faces, hence the decision to take on Cornejo, who has been a professional since March 2016 and has had five more fights than his opponent.

Brown told The Gleaner yesterday that he definitely wants to face tougher opponents, hence the decision to fight a boxer with more experience. “That is the only way that I am going to learn and get better,” he said. “I am working harder, and my punching power is there, so I should be able to take care of this opponent. I am looking forward to April 29,” he volunteered.

For Russell, it will be an important night. It marks his return to the ring after an absence of five years, during which he had eye surgery, which he feared would have ended his ring career. He has been able to satisfy the United Promotions medical team that he is ready and able to get back into action and says that he is going into the ring a confident man.

His opponent, Cornejo, is experienced, but he has not fought since July 2021, so he, too, will have some “ring rust”. With 24 fights behind him, he takes a lot of experience into the ring with him, so it should be an interesting encounter.

The main bout on the six-fight card will be a super welterweight clash between Canadian favourite Brandon Cook 24-2 and Gina Godoy from Argentina 29-2, over 10 rounds.