The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

RUDOLPH Regis was the first Bahamian boxer to be eliminated from the AIBA 2016 World Qualification Event for the Olympic Games.

On day one of the weeklong competition yesterday in Baku, Azerbaijan, Regis suffered a 3-0 loss to Chu-En Lai from Taipei in the men’s lightweight or 60 kilogram.

“Regis went out to fight, but it was a bit of experience for him, competing at this level,” said head coach Valentino Knowles in an interview from Baku. “Being here on the international scene for the first time, he was a bit uptight. He was still stocking up and loading up on his shots instead of trying to land them and putting the combinations together.”

Today, Carl Hield will open competition in the men’s middleweight (75kg) against Damian Biacho Bolequia from Spain, Keishno Major will take on Konstantin Li in the men’s heavyweight (plus-91 kg) and Israel Johnson will meet Heegeun Yang from Korea in the men’s light heavyweight (81 kg).

Knowles, who is being assisted by Ronn Rodgers and Godfrey Strachan, said the competition at the qualifications is one of the toughest they’ve seen at this level and while Hield is the most experienced member of Team Bahamas, he may have the toughest match-up.

“If he gets over this, he will go up against the Mongolian champion,” Knowles said. “Right now, we’re doing a lot of tactical work to try and get our boxers over this hump. But it’s not going to be easy.”

On Saturday, the final two boxers on the team will compete. Rashield Williams, who got a bye, will face Miguel Ferrin from Ecuador in the men’s light welterweight (64 kg) and Davon Hamilton will take on Josip-Bepo Filipi from Croatia in the men’s heavyweight (91 kg).

With 469 boxers from 105 nations competing, only 250 spots will be claimed during the qualifying rounds for Rio when the Olympics are held from August 5-21.

With the exception of the heavyweight and the super heavyweight where only the champions will qualify, the top five boxers in all of the other divisions, featuring Bahamians, will earn the right to travel to Rio.

Major said it’s going to be really hard for him, but he’s prepared to give it his best shot.

“This is the first time that I’m competing on the European circuit,” he said. “I’m seeing boxers from China and Russia, but I’m going into my fight pretty confident. I’m going to give it my all and see what happens.

“In my weight division, the super heavyweight division, they will only be qualifying the champion, so it’s going to be stiff and stiff for me, but I’m going to give it my all anyway.”

The World Qualifying is the final round for boxers tpo qualify for Rio after all of the Bahamian boxers failed to qualify out of the first round that was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from March 11-19.