Grant triumphs in thrilling fight after shedding 3lbs

In a dazzling display of skill and determination, Jamaica's welterweight boxing champion Bunny Grant claimed a decisive victory over Texan Manuel Gonzalez at the National Arena. Grant, who weighed in at 152.5 lbs – 4.5lbs  over the limit – successfully shed three pounds in just over an hour to meet the required weight.  

Published Monday, November 1, 1971

Masterful Grant  flogs Gonzalez

GIVING ONE of the most scintillating displays of his long and colourful career, Jamaica’s welterweight boxing champion Bunny Grant, underlined the fact that he is one of the all-time greats in local boxing, when he pounded out a ruthless victory over Texan, Manuel Gonzalez at the National Arena last Saturday night, on a Felix Smith promotion, in association with the Fire Safety Company. 

It was a fight with plenty of action and Grant scored a lop-sided victory. Judge Vivian Blake scored 100-93, Judge Jack Minott 100-9 and referee Speedy Flynn 100-92 for Grant. 
 
 At the weigh-in Saturday morning, Grant tipped the scales at 152 ½ pounds, four and a half pounds above the stipulated 148, and Gonzales who came in at 147 ½ asked Grant to lose at least three pounds. Grant managed to sweat off the three pounds in a little over an hour. 
  
 Many felt that being so heavy, Grant would be slow, but the Jamaican champion gave the lie to this from the opening minutes of the fight. He fought like a man inspired. 

At the immediate start Grant moved into the attack, and It was as if he had an appointment to keep and wanted to end to fight early. He launched a savage attack on Gonzalez, who looked surprised at this sudden burst of power. This early onslaught obviously meant that Grant was thoroughly satisfied with his physical condition, so satisfies in fact that he was willing to go on the attack early. 

With Gonzalez retreating and making a gallant effort to make him do as much work as possible, Grant stalked his men carefully and, clever boxer that he is, he was able to cut Gonzalez’s range effectively and force hum onto exchanges. 
   
Grant’s tactics were to shift the attack from body to head and back repeatedly, and the American based Mexican looking stunned at the rip-roaring assault, tried to fight back, but on many occasions had to resort solely to defensive work to keep himself in the fray. Grant’s left hook drew blood from as early as round one, when a thumping double, ripped open the flesh above his opponent’s right eye. 

 This first round was a torrid affair and the spectators buzzed with joy and excitement, throughout and after the round. Trainer Billy DeFoe did a good job in stopping the flow of blood from Gonzalez’s cut and he came out bouncing for the second frame. 

Grant did not give him a movement to settle down however, he was on the attack again fast and furious. He threw left and right hooks, abort jolting uppercuts and the occasional right or in great abundance. Gonzalez tried to get his point winning left jab into action, but Grant’s relentless body attack  forced him to concentrate on defence once more, and he did manager to keep Grant in check somewhat. 

Grant kept the pressure on in the third, which he won comfortably was held in check in the fourth, but exploded like a bomb in the fifth which was the best round of the fight. 
 
Showing the mettle of a champion, he was on to his opponent like a flash as the round started and he threw everything except the referee at Gonzalez. He jabbed, he hooked, he threw right crosses, uppercuts, the works, and Gonzalez through trying gamely, could find no way to curb him. The crowd went wild with excitement throughout this round and the uproar went on even during the one minute interval. Rarely has they seen such sustained effective punching in a local fight. 

And so it went on to the end. Grant attacked all the way, with Gonzalez counterpunching at times and defending on other occasions, But though Grant was definitely superior, Gonzalez kept fighting back gamely. He was outscored three to one most of the tome however. 

Some of the best in-fighting and counterpunching was produced in the eighth stanza, when Grant pinned Gonzalez in the south-western corner of the ring and for two full minutes they stayed toe-to-toe and exchanged. It was in this round that Gonzalez showed that he was no greenhorn, as he matched the Jamaican punch for punch and when it all ended he was able to draw the round. 

It was a great fight and did full credit to the noble sort of boxing. Both men were cheered warmly at the end. 

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