First Gloves Over Guns fight card successful

THE JAMAICA Boxing Association staged a long-awaited 2024 fight card with four fights and an exhibition bout on Saturday at the Stanley Couch Gym in Kingston. It was an all-amateur fight card under the banner Gloves Over Guns Futures programme.

Three of the four fights went to the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), whose boxers looked well prepared and physically fitter than their opponents. Arguably, the fight of the night was the final (elite) bout between Delano McLaughlin of the JDF and Kirk-Patrick Heron of the Port Antonio Gym in a light heavyweight matchup. Both fighters were very determined while going all three rounds of three minutes each. They traded blows, taking some big punches but in the end, McLaughlin was adjudged the winner.

The first JDF boxer to enter the ring was Gervin Garrison in a light heavyweight matchup with Sadeki Harris of GC Foster Gym. Both boxers got busy immediately but Garrison soon showed he was the better fighter on the night, landing more cleanly and showing better ring mastery.

Harris took a lot of punishment and showed a lot of heart to stay in the fight but did not really threaten.

That fight gave way to a lopsided superheavyweight fight between the JDF’s Shawn Morgan and Vernando McKenzie of Funrobics Gym.

McKenzie started confidently but found Morgan’s speed and power too difficult to handle. He faced referee Wayne Roberts count more than once in the less than two rounds that he was in the ring. Roberts eventually stopped the fight midway the second round.

The only boxer out of the blue corner to record a win on the night was Mark-Andre Mendez of Control Strike Gym against Hammid Gordon of Funrobics Gym. They put on a spirited light middleweight show for the crowd but Mendez was the more comfortable of the two in the ring.

The opening bout was an entertaining exhibition bout which went to Alex Grant of Suga Gym over Crishaun McPherson of Funrobics. They were the youngest boxers on show at just 14 years old.

Stephen Bomber Jones, president of the JBA, was pleased with the response from the boxing community.

“I am very encouraged. I am extremely encouraged by what I saw. I am more encouraged also by the response of the boxers, the gyms and the managers themselves because tonight represents what they have been asking for, at least an answer, one of the answers for what they have been asking for. They have had their boxers training without being able to showcase their skills so this gives a platform to answer that, so I am very happy.”

He also said: “The last Saturday of every month we intend to have the same show but going forward it won’t just be amateurs. We want this platform to be from the most novice boxer which is our grassroot boxers – children, the elite amateurs – those that will, over the next couple of years, give the activities so that they can represent us internationally and also those boxers who want to turn pro, we give them this platform to have monthly bouts so that they can build a professional record so that they can be the choice of boxers that we carry around the island. The public deserves the best boxers when we do the Fight Night Series, so this will kind of be a feeder programme into the series. The best boxers, the best amateurs and the best professionals that come out of this, we will showcase around the island.”

The fight card was sponsored by Pepsi, S&G Road Surfacing, Vere Events, Lockeroom Sports and Creative Sports.