A straight right hand by Cayman boxer Jaden Eccleston put Roberto Williams on the canvas in the very first round – serving as the final moment to the fight on Saturday, 7 Oct.
Eccleston, now 8-2 as an amateur, proved to be too much for the opposition – dominating the fight until a clean right hand hit the sweet spot of Williams’ chin. Stunned by the blow, Williams was unable to beat the 10 count and Eccleston was declared the winner.
“This fight was just a warm-up fight, for the [Pan American Games],” Eccleston told the Compass. “We expected to have a dominant performance but I wasn’t looking for the first round knockout, but it came and…we are very happy with it but we wished we’d gotten some more rounds which will help with our upcoming events.”
Eccleston, a two-time winner at the Caribbean Boxing Championships who represents both Cayman and Jamaica when he competes, will now turn his attention to the PanAm Games scheduled for 20 Oct.-5 Nov., in Santiago, Chile, where he hopes to punch his ticket to the Olympics.
“That’s where we really need to shine and that’s where we need to get the victories, with the hope of qualifying for the Olympics,” he said.
Training out of the Performance Lab in Cayman under head boxing coach Floyd Trumpet, Eccleston said his preparation for his upcoming bouts has left him feeling confident in getting favourable results.
He noted that his fight camp has featured the likes of Nigel Paul, a bronze medallist at the 2021 AIBA World Boxing Championships, who is also competing at the PanAms this year.
“I’m pushing him, and he is pushing me, so it’s been a good camp and I feel like we are going to do good,” he said. “I believe in my abilities, I believe in my training… I’m looking forward to [competing].”
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