Boxers and promoters share a photo opportunity.
contributed
Excitement continues to build for the last fight night of 2023 in the Wray & Nephew Fight Nights series, which will be held at Breezy Castle downtown, Kingston on Saturday.
Fight time is 7:00 pm.
Details of the fight card, which boasts six amateur bouts, including one female match-up and two professional fights, were revealed at a press briefing at Tracks & Records on Constant Spring Road, on Wednesday.
The card is dominated by Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) boxers - four in the amateur section and one professional boxer.
Debutante Chevelle Davidson promised to give of his best.
"You can expect me to show all my boxing skills. All the things my coach has taught me during training for preparation for fight night," Davidson said.
Her bout will be the second female fight of the series, following the Shanika Gordon and Sherekee Moore bout in Ebony Vale, in October.
Professional boxer Jermain 'Breezy' Richards, who won his two previous fights in the series, promised another positive outcome.
"Just come out. Expect the best of Breezy because with each fight I evolve a bit and I grow more talented, so I have more work to put in because I know what's out there waiting for me or what is expected of me," Breezy shared.
Richards, who will battle Colombian Francisco Cordero, dedicated the fight to the memory of his brother, who recently passed away, and whose birthday would have been December 16, the day of the fight.
The night will close with the very popular local professional Ian 'Impact' Darby of the JDF, who predicted a second-round knockout in his favour. He is set to oppose the other Colombian Julio Feria Jose Augustine.
"The 'Impact' always presents a blast. I am just coming out to do a bomb wrecking for my fans. This time I am representing Jamaica at its flag itself. There is a message I need to send so the 'Impact' will be sending a serious message that listen 'no matter what the denomination, no matter the culture, no matter country you are from, the 'Impact', the Jamaica flag will be raising high," said Darby, who won his first professional fight on local soil when he bettered Fabian 'Truck' Tucker, in October.
Meanwhile, Stephen Bomber Jones, president of the JBA said that the fight night series has surpassed all expectations.
"It is a thrill to see, and a moment of pride for not just the boxing board, but the boxing fraternity and the fans themselves. Because the shows have been perfect right around in terms of the setup, in terms of the platforms the boxers are given, and in terms of the way Wray & Nephew has put their weight behind the production so that we can have first class events where the boxers feel that they can aspire to world class level boxing, and then the boxing itself has been improving each and every show," Jones noted.
Amateur matchups
Khamoi Barrett, JDF vs Sanjae Hudson, Hybrid Athletics, MoBay (Heavyweight)
Chevon Gordon, Suga Olympic vs Kevon McKenzie, Hunter Gym, MoBay (Welterweight)
Daniel Williams, GC Foster vs Cayman Taffrel, Suga Olympic (Middleweight)
Delano McLaughin, JDF vs Kirk Patrick Keron, Port Antonio Boxing Club (Welterweight)
Garvan Garrison, JDF vs Mark Cunningham, Funrobics, Portmore (Lightweight)
Britney McFarlane, Stanley Couch vs Chevelle Davidson, JDF (Middleweight)
Professional matchups
Jermaine 'Breezy' Richards, I-Fight vs Francisco Cordero, Barranquilla, Colombia (Heavyweight)
Ian 'Impact' Darby, JDF vs Julio Feria Jose Augustine, Fundacion, Colombia (Cruiserweight)
Usyk sends Fury warning as he dismisses 'too easy' comments
Oleksandr Usyk issued a warning to Tyson Fury, urging him not to be "afraid" ahead of their highly anticipated rematch in December.
Usyk became the first undisputed heavyweight since Lennox Lewis in May following his split-decision win over Fury, ending the Gypsy King's unbeaten record.
Fury insisted that while he thought he won the fight, the only reason Usyk had been able to deliver a late onslaught was that he was "enjoying it too much and messing around".
"Oh my god, no way! Okay, no problem. The next fight will be easy [for him too]," Usyk told Sky Sports in response to Fury's comments.
"For me, my fight will be hard because Tyson Fury is a big man, a good boxer, with a good boxing IQ.
"But if Tyson says for him it will be easy, ok, no problem. I see for Tyson Fury, I see for the eyes of Tyson Fury, it's not easy. It will be hard, very, very hard.
"Tyson, don't be afraid - I will not leave you alone."
Fury had started the contest in the ascendency, landing an uppercut to the chin of Usyk which staggered the Ukrainian in the sixth round.
However, Usyk showed his powers of recovery once again, unloading on Fury with a flurry of punches that forced a knockdown in round nine.
Referee Mark Nelson stepped in to give Fury a count as he stumbled across the ring with just the ropes keeping him upright, managing to survive the full 12 rounds.
"For me, it doesn't matter," Usyk said on the officiating in Saudi Arabia. "Every referee, it's a professional guy.
"The referee does his job. Maybe my last punch would be dangerous for Tyson Fury. It's good.
"Tyson has a big family, I have a big family. Listen, we win. Everything is ok. I do not think about the referee after the fight. We win, thank god, all good, everything is ok.
"A lot of people say, 'Oh the referee took your knockout win' and say 'Referee bad'. I think no, the referee is good. It's just talking. Blah blah blah."
Lewis thanks former rival Rahman for help with Lewis’ League of Champions Boxing Camp in Jamaica
Former undisputed World Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis has expressed gratitude to former rival Hasim Rahman for participating in Lewis’ League of Champions Boxing Camp.
Rahman was among a number of high-profile names in the boxing world who helped coach youngsters at the camp which was held from July 8-13 at the Hopewell Sports & Community Centre in Hanover.
Rahman handed Lewis the second loss of his professional career to take his heavyweight titles back on April 22, 2001 in South Africa before, on November 17 that same year, Lewis got his revenge by knocking Rahman out in the fourth round in their rematch to regain his heavyweight titles in Nevada.
“Me and Hasim have come a long way from trading blows in the ring and the power of giving back to the youth is something that can even bring old foes like us together,” Lewis said in a post on Instagram on Tuesday.
James Ali Bashir, the former coach of current undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, as well as former WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Alicia Ashley and former CBF Welterweight Champion Sakima Mullings were also on hand to help out the youngsters at the camp.
“Giving back to the youth has become a central mission in my life but I can’t do it alone. I’m grateful to everyone who helps make it all possible,” Lewis said.
Dubois hopes to become 'king slayer' in IBF title showdown with Joshua
Anthony Joshua is set for another shot at the IBF heavyweight title but Daniel Dubois hopes to become a "king slayer" when the pair meet at Wembley Stadium.
Oleksandr Usyk vacated the IBF heavyweight championship just five weeks after becoming the undisputed world heavyweight champion with his win over Tyson Fury, confirming his decision on X on Tuesday.
The all-British showdown was confirmed the following day as the duo prepare to battle at Wembley on September 21.
Joshua will bid to become a three-time world champion, while Dubois will appear in his first title fight after becoming the mandatory challenger for the IBF crown with his win over Filip Hrgovic this month.
The meeting will be Joshua's first at Wembley in three years, and Dubois hopes to bring his homecoming crashing down.
"That's just where I'm aiming for, to fight the best and be the best," Dubois said at Wednesday's press conference.
"AJ's been the king for a long time and on the night, I need to become a king slayer and that's my goal, that's the mission at hand.
"I'm learning more about myself as a fighter, as a person, coming out of the darkness and into the light, improving all round as a fighter and as an athlete. I'm up for this and ready to go."
Joshua has repeatedly been suggested as a potential opponent for Usyk or Fury, though says he will turn his attention solely on the upcoming Dubois bout.
"Congratulations to Daniel for winning his last fight," a measured Joshua said at the same press conference.
"I've been having Dubois on my mind for a while and he'll be on my mind for the next 12 weeks until I get my hand raised.
"The goal is just getting through a successful training camp, performing on the night and the shiny stuff comes at a later date."
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