Deadly Lightning strikes again

“Tracey, you came back with a
trophy!” That was the reception Tracey Seymour got from a friend at Owen
Roberts International Airport as she came through customs. Clutching her
winner’s trophy from the boxing show in Tampa, Seymour was one of seven of 11
Cayman boxers who returned on Sunday victorious.

It was a marvellous trip because
the away team at boxing shows don’t usually get matched evenly nor do they get
the nod in close points decisions. But this team was superbly honed by head
coach Nayon ‘Donie’ Anglin, his assistant Norman Wilson, Troy O’Neil and world
class pro Charles ‘The Killa’ Whittaker.

The Cayman government were the
generous main sponsors of this trip and the coaches along with boxing
association president Thomas Ebanks, ensured that Cayman were well represented
both inside and outside the ring.

Although she did not actually box,
Seymour, 25, was deservedly awarded the trophy as reward for months of hard
work in the gym and being prepared to face whoever was put in front of her. But
no match could be made. Another fighter who got a winner’s trophy without
needing to step into the ring was Aaron Powell. At the weigh-in on Saturday afternoon,
his opponent, Cris Rivera, took one look at the 6ft 2in Caymanian
light-heavyweight and even though they were roughly the same height and build,
Rivera decided to swerve the challenge.

It was another glorious night for
the Caymanian contingent at the show organised by the Florida Gold Coast Association
in conjunction with the Hurricane Boxing Club. Nine Cayman boxers fought at the
Wesley Memorial Methodist Church and a credible five of them won. Celebrity
guests included Christy Martin, one of the greatest women fighters ever, who
was commentating on the fights for TV and Tony ‘TNT’ Tucker, the former world
heavyweight champion, who once went the distance with Mike Tyson. Tucker had a
fighter – James Gooding – from his TNT gym on the bill.

Most improved Cayman boxer was
Peter ‘Lightning’ Lewison, the middleweight powerhouse who has his eyes set
firmly on the pro ranks. Lightning brought his usual thunder-packed fists and
combined his immense strength with good technique and ring savvy to outpoint
the previously unbeaten Chadwick Allen, a southpaw who hadn’t lost in three.

Allen was annoyed by the judges’
decision but he wasn’t really justified. He may have edged the third round but
Lewison won the first two clearly. Throughout the show, Cayman boxers exchanged
their national flag with their American opponents. Allen threw his Cayman flag
on the canvas, which infuriated Killa who bawled him out for his disrespect.
The suitably chastised Allen picked it up. 

First Cayman fighter on the bill
was Tafari Ebanks at bantamweight. He bloodied Daniel Quiroz’s nose early on
and by the second round the referee stopped it as the nose injury had become
too bad, possibly broken. Ebanks, 16, has great technique and heart and needed
it to overcome an equally well schooled opponent. He remains unbeaten after three
bouts.

Dwayne Anglin-Folkes was 17 on
Saturday but he didn’t have much to celebrate after being outpointed by Tomas
Avila. Southpaw Anglin-Folkes has enormous potential and should count this one
as an excellent learning fight against a taller, clever Avila who took his unbeaten
record to five.

The only female bout on the card
was between Cayman’s Jessica McFarlane-Richards and Erica Cooksey. Jessica was
not well, coughing and sniffing in the days leading up to the contest but she
was determined to go through with it. Having sparred with the heavier Tracey
Seymour at the D. Dalmain Ebanks gym in George Town, featherweight Jessica, 27,
was mentally prepared for whatever Cooksey threw at her. After three pretty
even rounds, it was the Caymanian fighter’s hand held up. Jessica had thrown up
and needed a puff of her inhaler at the end of her bout but all the pain and
sacrifice had been worthwhile.

Kendall Ebanks has high hopes of
becoming a world class amateur and then pro and like Jessica he went in suffering
from a heavy cold. Light-welter Ebanks, 20, won the first round against Charles
Vazquez but took two standing counts in the second round. Ebanks rallied in the
third and probably won it, but the one-sided second round counted against him.

Vazquez has big ambitions too. His
father, Anthony, who was at ringside, was a pro fighter with a modest record
and is helping his son get as far as he can. Maybe Vazquez and Ebanks will meet
again in the future at a higher level.  

Jason Parchment, son of coach
Anglin, had dad in his corner. Welterweight Parchment is tall and rangy but has
a tendency not to use his long reach. This was the case once more, against the
stocky Angel Gonzalez, who swarmed all over him and gave an exhausted Parchment
two standing counts in the third. Parchment, 20, needs to get on his toes and
box from distance like his father used to so successfully.

Erick McField was team captain with
Seymour and he gave an exemplary display of text book boxing to beat Rafeal
Rendon by third round stoppage when a shoulder injury forced him to retire.
Middleweight McField, 27, was always in control and was way ahead on the
judges’ cards anyway. It was McField’s fifth win in 10 fights. 

Middleweight debutant Ansel
Lawrence travelled on short notice after Dariel Ebanks had to pull out through
injury. Lawrence had the misfortune of being matched with Tim Catry, a much
more experienced, taller boxer, who peppered the Cayman fighter with straight
shots to the head and give him a standing count before forcing a stoppage in
the first round. Lawrence, 17, was distraught but he has nothing to be ashamed
of, showing immense bravery to withstand a volley of punches before the referee
stepped in.

Gino ‘Crusher’ Brown lived up to
his name and gave the smaller Zackary Glasscock a hammering throughout,
including a third round standing count. Brown, 16, won so easily he felt sorry
for Glasscock after. Crusher has the physique and technique to go a long way in
the sport if he puts his mind to it.