The Southpaw Series One transformed the Grand Old House into an exciting night of boxing filled with Caymanian and international fighters – both amateur and professional.
At the heart of the spectacle on 27 Feb. was Christopher Hurlston, the 24-year-old Caymanian professional heavyweight boxer, who made a return to local soil after three years of honing his craft across Europe.
Stepping into the ring with a 4-0 professional record, Hurlston faced Fabio Escobar of Colombia in a four-round clash, ultimately rising to the top through a unanimous decision by the judges, claiming his fifth professional win.
Reflecting on his performance, Hurlston said, “[It] was not flawless, but I am happy with it. There were a lot of changes made this camp, and I feel like I listened to my corner well. I also felt more fit than I’ve ever been which shows the hard work we put in.”
“My greatest strength in this fight in my opinion was my jab. I kept it long and didn’t rush. I sometimes got into a bit of a scrap, but these things happen and will improve through experience,” he added.
Despite securing the win, Hurlston said, “I feel like I did lose a bit of control near the second and the beginning of the third round just because I tried to get into a bit of a brawl with him – fight his fight – but I listened to my corner … and followed the instructions to just use straight shots and keep him at range.”
Hurlston described the experience as “definitely different than usual”, highlighting the “very high [and great] energy from the home crowd support”.
He admitted, “The support overwhelmed me a bit, but I came through it, got the win and that’s all that matters.”
Looking ahead, he shared, “My next fight is supposed to be at York Hall in London on 21st March. The opponent is yet to be confirmed.”
Ryan Barrett, a retired English boxer, coach and manager of Hurlston and promotor of the event, described the evening as going exactly how he envisioned it.
“I’ve boxed all around the world [and] I know exactly what it takes to put on a great event. [With this event], Grand Cayman has just hit lift off; this is one of many,” he added.
Caymanian boxers rise to occasion
The success of the evening extended beyond Hurlston’s professional category fight as other Caymanian fighters rose to the occasion to ensure a dominant showing for the home nation.
In the amateur fights category, Cayman’s Philip Livingston and Antonio Cohen both secured unanimous decision victories over Jamaican opponents Chrishaun McPherson and Alvan Wright, respectively.
The remaining portion of the fight card provided a display of international matchmaking, with boxers from England, Colombia and Belgium, showcasing their talents in the ring.
In the professional fight category, Amir Azab of Belgium overcome Jhon Olaya of Colombia through unanimous decision.
The professional title fights category saw two Technical Knockout victories with Tom Smith of England securing the victory over Colombia’s Jhan Carabilli, while Colombia’s Santi Bedoya overcame England’s Jordan McIntosh.
Three exhibition bouts unfolded, with Colombian Raul Guiterrez overcoming England’s Rob Burke through split decision. Colombian Juan Moreno claimed the victory over England’s Paul Murphy through unanimous decision while Mohammed Faisal of England also secured the victory unanimously against Juan Ortiz of Colombia.
Additional reporting by Seaford Russell Jr
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