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• Julien 'The Black Dragon' Baptiste eyes bigger stage after defending Massachusetts middleweight title

  Julien “Black Dragon” Baptiste, the reigning Massachusetts Middleweight boxing champion, successfully defended his title last Saturday, November 9, with a sixth-round TKO victory over Anthony Hines at Fall Reckoning in Dorchester. The main event saw Baptiste overwhelm his opponent with a flurry of punches, prompting the referee to stop the bout at 2:35 of the penultimate round.

  With the victory, Baptiste improved his professional record to 8-4-1, cementing his place as a dominant force in the Massachusetts boxing scene. Reflecting on the win, he expressed gratitude and acknowledged the hard work that went into his preparation.

  “And STILL!!!!” Baptiste exclaimed. “I would like to thank God ?? for another opportunity for me to showcase my skills and talents. Training camp was on point from beginning to end. Mark DeLuca made sure that I got 1% better each day. Was it easy? Hell no ?, but if you want to stay champion, you’re gonna have to be uncomfortable until you get comfortable to get the job done.”

  The fight marked another milestone in Baptiste’s journey, one that began in his youth as the son of Jamaican and Grenadian parents. His mother, Donna Holder Willemsen, hails from Duncans in Trelawny, Jamaica, while his father, Egbert Baptiste, who is battling cancer, is from Grenada. Julien credits both of them for his drive and determination.

  “Their strength and spirit, along with my mother’s, drive me to success,” he said.

  Baptiste’s introduction to boxing came after his college football career as an All-American free safety. While pursuing his NFL dreams, he was invited to a boxing gym by a cousin from Jamaica, and from that moment, he found a new passion.

   “I fell in love with it,” he recalled. “I was there every day. That was in New York. Then I left New York and came to Massachusetts, back to the town I went to school at, looking for work. The first gym I worked at just happened to have a boxing gym and a coach. And here I am now as Massachusetts champion.”

  

   In 2023, Baptiste captured the vacant United States Boxing Federation (USBF) Middleweight title, which he has successfully defended three times. His Massachusetts title has also been defended on three occasions, adding to his growing legacy.

   “I know what is at stake every time I fight because my belts are on the line every time I fight. Whenever I fight here in Massachusetts, both my belts are on the line,” he said.

   Now 35, Baptiste acknowledges that time is not on his side in the sport, but he remains focused on his ultimate goals.

   “I’m coming to the end of my athletic career. I just want to get on ESPN,” he said. “I fought on ESPN earlier this year at Madison Square Garden in February and lost by split decision. I want to get back on that stage, so hopefully by next year, I should be back on a bigger stage on television or something of that nature.”

   Beyond boxing, Baptiste’s aspirations include securing a home and retiring from the sport with his health intact.

   “I want to leave the game with my mind and my brains, my health. I want to be one of the ones leaving with my health. I want to help the youth and show that there are ways to get out of situations to better yourself,” he said.

   With his dedication, resilience, and a drive rooted in his Caribbean heritage, Julien Baptiste continues to embody the spirit of a champion both inside and outside the ring.

   

   

   

   

   

• “They’ll bear witness to a slaughter”- Blake promises dominant display in RFL Ocho main event on Saturday

  Rough Fight League (RFL) Amateur Lightweight Champion Shiaeine ‘Da Great’ Blake says fans can expect him to make quick work of opponent Daron ‘Avatar’ Weir when the two lock horns in the main event of RFL Ocho at Funland in Hope Gardens in Kingston on Saturday.

  ‘Da Great,’ who has held the number one spot across three weight classes in the Caribbean, will be making his professional debut against Weir, an accomplished boxer, who is now stepping into the professional MMA scene after taking this fight on short notice.

  “I envision him laying on the canvas within eight minutes looking up at me and wondering what went wrong,” Blake told Sportsmax.tv on Tuesday.

  “Fans are coming out expecting a fight but they’ll bear witness to a slaughter,” added Blake.

  Knowing that Weir is coming from a strictly boxing background and this being an MMA fight, one would think that the obvious play for Blake is to lean into a wrestling-heavy style on Saturday.

  The 29-year-old has other ideas, however, noting that his ego has got the best of him ahead of their bout.

  “Knowing that Daron’s style is boxing heavy, I’ve allowed my ego to get a hold of me and challenged myself to beat him primarily with boxing,” Blake said.

  “I’ve prepared to beat him where he’s best at. Boxing is his hope, but there cannot be despair without hope so I’ll beat him where he’s best and watch him crumble,” he added.

  Blake last fought at the IMMAF Pan American Championships in Monterrey in September, losing via kneebar submission to Mexico’s Diego Rangel in round two of their three-round fight.

  That fight is in the past and Blake says he’s going into Saturday’s fight with a clear mind.

  “The loss hasn’t really affected me mentally of physically. You win and you lose in sports. That’s given, analyze it, learn from it and move onward,” he said.

   

   

   

   

• Rough Fight League 'Ocho' set to ignite Kingston with explosive MMA and Kickboxing showdowns at Hope Gardens

  The Rough Fight League (RFL) Ocho is set to take place this Saturday, October 26, at Funland in Hope Gardens, Kingston, promising an action-packed night of mixed martial arts (MMA) and kickboxing. The event, which starts at 8 pm, will feature eight thrilling bouts, including two high-profile main events that fans won’t want to miss.

  Headlining the card, Shiaeinie ‘Da Great’ Blake, a dominant figure in Caribbean MMA, will make his professional debut against Daron ‘Avatar’ Weir. Blake, who has held the number one spot across three weight classes in the Caribbean, will be tested by Weir, an accomplished boxer now stepping into the professional MMA scene. “We expect fireworks from that,” said event organizer Kyle Chin. Weir’s transition to MMA promises an explosive bout, as both fighters bring top-tier experience in their respective disciplines.

  In another main event, Theron ‘The Iron Prince’ Rose Green will take on Jaheem ‘Imru Makonnen’ Morrison in an amateur welterweight championship fight. Rose Green, an emerging MMA star who has already made waves with wins in Trinidad and Jamaica, will face Morrison, a skilled kickboxer building a strong reputation in the sport. “It’s a classic wrestler versus striker match-up,” Chin explained, noting Rose Green’s well-rounded skill set, honed through international competition in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, beach wrestling, and MMA.

   

  

  'Tank' Thompson

  Adding to the excitement is Tyrece ‘Tank’ Thompson, the 2024 Pan American Super Heavyweight International Mixed Martial Arts Champion, who will be competing against Samuel Campbell. Thompson, fresh off his Pan Am gold, will look to continue his dominance in the super heavyweight division.

  The event will also see the pro debut of Demar ‘Force’ Haslam, RFL’s 145-pound amateur champion, who will face Nakia Anderson in what promises to be another intense match. “It’s going to be an exciting night,” Chin said, emphasizing that the card will feature a mix of MMA and kickboxing fights, showcasing the depth of talent in the region.

  This is the first major RFL event of the year, following the pandemic-induced hiatus. “We did have a level of consistency with seven events, but we are trying to return to that now,” Chin said, adding that the sport continues to grow in Jamaica. “Jamaica has always been known as a strong striking country. We have good boxing, karate, kickboxing, and now we are seeing an evolution in our game.”

  With a new venue, a stacked fight card, and the return of some of Jamaica’s top combat athletes, Rough Fight League Ocho is set to be an unforgettable night for MMA and kickboxing fans.

  Tickets for the event can be purchased at Jacana New Kingston, Jangas Soundbar, The Life Store and Jacana Manor Park.