The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

THEY were short of matches, but Tyrone Oliver nor Israel Johnson unleashed a flurry of punches to entertain the crowd on Saturday night at the Champion Amateur Boxing Club’s 19th annual Wellington ‘Sonny Boy’ Rahming Silver Glove Amateur Boxing Tournament.

For the second consecutive year, organizer Ray Minus Jr took the show to an outdoor arena at the Fish Fry at Arawak Cay. But this year, there was expected to be boxers in town from Inagua, Abaco and Grand Bahama. Boxers from all of the local clubs were also scheduled to participate.

There were a couple of exhibitions that Lennox Boyce reigns supreme, beating the two opponents he faced. At the end of the night, Minus Jr awarded him the most improved boxer award.

Only two matches were contested - one went the distance and the other didn’t get past the first round - as the Strikers Boxing Club, headed by Ronn Rodgers, dominated the action.

In the first bout, Strikers Club’s Tyrone Oliver worked his way on the inside of the taller Javano Collins in the first two rounds to control the scorecard. However, in the third round, Collins managed to pin Oliver on the ropes and he landed a series of 1-2 combinations.

His comeback was a little too late as 20-year-old Oliver was awarded his second straight victory over Collins in a rematch from last year. In what Minus Jr termed the fight of the night, Oliver warned Collins that somethings one need t be careful for what they ask for.

“It was very competitive. I know Javano Collins was ready to fight because last year, we fought at this same venue,” Oliver said. “After I got the victory, we were still sociable and talking, but he was telling me that he was going to get his rematch and he was going to come back for the win.

“I know he was coming strong for this fight, so I went back to the gym and I revolutionised my style and I came out here tonight and I got the job done.”

Despite Collins’ comeback, Oliver said he wasn’t concerned because he knew that the only way Collins could win was by a knockout, so he just tried to stay focused.

The only other bout ended before it really got started.

Israel Johnson, of the Strikers Club, took all that Champion Boxing Club’s Jarvis Adderley could throw at him. But once Johnson settled down, a straight left floored Adderley mid-way in the first round. Adderley got up and held onto the ropes, but was too dazed to continue as the eight count was administered.

“I don’t even know how to say this, but I was a little concerned at the beginning. I knew he was going to come out and fight wild and not put up the technical fight that I was looking for,” Johnson said. “So I know he was going to come out throwing his power. I just waited for the right opportunity. When I saw it, I unloaded it.

“I just want to thank God for the victory because this is what the Strikers Boxing Club is producing. We have some top fighters. We’re working on our goal to go to the 2016 Olympic Games. So I think the Lord for the victory, but I know that this one was in the bag for me.”

Johnson, 17, said his left hand was sprained, but he wasn’t going to use that as an excuse to take out Adderley.

Strikers Boxing Club said he brought nine of his fighters because they were told that there were going to be an array of fighters from throughout the Bahamas.

“Unfortunately, we showed up with our team, but Champion Boxing only had one fighter, Inagua didn’t show up, Grand Bahama didn’t up, Abaco didn’t show up, Eleuthera didn’t show up,” he said. “So we only got in two fights. I’m disappointed because we wanted to use this is as a tune up for the fights were have lined up this year.

“We were only able to get two fights in, one by unanimous decision and the other by a knockout. We wanted the full team to get in some action, especially Ahmad Sands, who is extremely good. We had three heavyweights, but none of them could get any action. I just wish the coaches would bring their team if they say they are coming.”

Minus Jr said some ofr the clubs who were listed to compete didn’t know the trip and those boxers in New Providence, for some reason or the other, just didn’t show up.

“We still had a few fights, which was very good,” Minus Jr. said. “We will continue to provide an avenue for these boxers to get the exposure. I’m proud of what happened. I’m really excited. The fights were really good and I’m just glad that we were able to get in some action.”

Rodgers, whose club recently hosted a team of boxers from Canada at the Enoch Backford Auditorium, is getting ready to put on another show with a team of boxers from the New York Golden Gloves on June 21 at the same venue on Carmichael Road. In July, they are scheduled to travel to Canada to compete before going to the Cayman Islands in August. The club will then host Puerto Rico here at the end of August.

The shows are designed to help prepare Rodgers’ boxers for their bid to qualify for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016. Rodgers, however, said he hope that the Amateur Boxing Association of the Bahamas, will provide an opportunity for his boxers to compete for spots on the team.

“We arranged for a box off for the trip that the current boxers are on, but they canceled the box off,” Rodgers said. “When they did decide to have, they didn’t let us know. They had it without us being there. So we missed that opportunity and they just took their boxers off without a box off.

“We just hope that we can get a chance in future box offs. All we want them to do is let us know when they are having the box off so that we can get preapred for it. But we will be busy this year because our boxers really want to get a chance to qualify for the Olympics. So one way or the other, the national boxing team boxers will have to face us.”

For some time, Minus Jr. said he’s expressed his disappointment in the national programme because his boxers have not been given a chance to try out and they have gotten discouraged and any of them have quit.

“With all this talent that we get, we need to widen it more by providing more opportunities for these young guys,” he said. “If they are not going to get the opportunity, they are going to give up and quit. We have the talent. We just need to bring it all together and put the best team out there based on all of the boxers getting a chance to compete for a shot at the national team.”

The night concluded with the Nassau Wrestling Entertainment entertaining the crowd as Jack Saint and Triple Ace fought to a draw.