The Cayman Islands boxing programme is arguably the most improved of all the wide range of sports enjoyed in Grand Cayman. That was shown over the weekend when the boxing team of seven went to Jamaica and beat a local team 4-3 in an exciting night of bouts.
There were seven amateur bouts and one pro fight on the bill at Barbican Beach in Kingston on Saturday. In the pro fight, Devon ‘Concrete’ Moncrieffe made light work in a rematch with Lloyd ‘The Punisher’ Smith. The Jamaicans were from the Bruising Gym in Stony Hill, coached by the tireless Carl Grant who since he opened the gym four years ago has already won coach of the year title three times.
Moncrieffe was merciless as he battered Smith throughout the first round, giving him a standing count at the end of the first. Moncrieffe left the referee no choice but to stop the match with less than a minute gone in the second of the six-round contest.
That was entertaining but the amateurs were just as committed and generated plenty of excitement. The Cayman coaches were Nayon ‘Donie’ Anglin and Stormin’ Norman Wilson. Boxing association secretary Jan Golaszewski was the manager. Of Cayman’s experienced boxers, only Kendall Ebanks and Tracey Seymour were missing. Kendall boxed last week, winning a gold medal in Florida and Seymour couldn’t get matched.
Diego Rodriguez, 14, in only his second bout, was punch perfect in outpointing Shavon Lindo. Diego’s brother Reymon, 15, had a tricky opponent in Andre Grey who infringed the rules throughout the contest but barely got reprimanded for it. Reymon could not get into a rhythm and Grey got the decision.
Cayman’s stylish bantamweight Tafari Ebanks wants to go all the way in the pros. At 17 he is improving significantly and that was shown in a terrific bout against a very experienced 23-year-old Toriano Nicholas. Both threw text book combinations but it was Tafari who landed faster and more effectively and deservedly got the nod in what was probably the fight of the night.
Gino ‘Crusher’ Brown is only 18 and still relatively inexperienced. In a super-heavyweight clash he was up against a much heavier and more experienced fighter in Richard Walker who landed some bombs throughout. Walker fouled Brown repeatedly but the Caymanian youngster kept his composure and stuck to his boxing. At the end of the bout, even though Walker clearly deserved the decision, he deliberately hit Brown twice after the bell.
It wasn’t the first time and this time Brown retaliated. Walker kept the scuffle going and had to be pulled away by the referee and his coaches. It could have got ugly but thankfully didn’t. Nevertheless, Walker was disqualified.
Middleweight novice Thomas McField-Brown fought for Cayman next. He was always trying but Catoney Robinson’s vast experience in 36 bouts with only four losses ensured he won comfortably on points.
Light-heavyweight Dariel Ebanks is Cayman’s best amateur and hopes to be competing in the London Olympics this summer. His opponent was Jonathan Hanson who is another Olympic hopeful. Ebanks is in the top 30 world rankings and going to Cardiff, Wales at a high performance training camp next month before the final Olympic qualifiers in Brazil in May. Southpaw Ebanks comfortably beat Hanson on points without having to find top gear.
There was one female bout, involving Jessica McFarlane-Richards and Jamaica’s Felice Groves. They met for the fourth time with Groves winning on points for the third time. It was close throughout the four two-minute rounds but Groves finished stronger and gave Jessica a standing count in the final round which clinched it.
McFarlane-Richards is asthmatic and collapsed at the end of the bout. She received oxygen and was taken to hospital overnight for supervision and was treated for the asthma as well as a severe concussion. Thankfully, she was discharged and was okay to return home on Sunday night but the worry she caused was widespread. She collapsed from an asthma attack in her last bout against Groves, at the D. Dalmain Ebanks Gym in October.
Coach Wilson said: “It was a fantastic night. The performances were good, even the ones we lost. They really measured up to who they are in the Cayman Islands. We went as a team and I’m pleased with that. I don’t like to point out individuals. In my eyes they all did good.
“What we need to now is to step up and start fighting more international fighters, like Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Argentina, because these are the guys we’re going to see in the Olympics and qualifiers. Cayman boxers need to be going to the USA where they have boxing every week somewhere. If we don’t have the money to do it, we have to accept that but that’s what’s going to make these guys better. But they can’t fight Jamaica or Bahamas all the time. In the United States you’ve got all kinds of people you can fight.”
Coach Anglin said: “Overall I’d give the Cayman boxers eight out of ten. I was pleased with their performances. Nothing goes perfectly with young amateurs. Both sides performed well. The Jamaican girl performed well. She’s really improved and she fought like she really wanted to win.
“Our team is growing. It takes time but we’re still looking good. Dariel is a high level fighter now and you can see how relaxed he is in the ring. He’ll go a long way for sure. Kendall Ebanks was missing because he has just come off a tournament and is preparing for a tournament in the Dominican Republic, but he’s the next one to Dariel.
“Before we went to Jamaica I asked Jessica to stop boxing, not because of her skill level but because she has so many complications. Asthma is one thing then she also has a back problem. But she says she is not stopping. I told her now so that in future she will be safe. In this fight she was not in the best condition.
“I spent the whole night in the hospital with her and really felt shaken and told her to just quit but she won’t.
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