The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FIRST Class Promoter Michelle Minus got a lot of high praise for bringing professional boxing back to the Bahamas. But she said tonight’s All-Female show will be one that the public will not forget.

The show will be highlighted by 100 Jamz for the World Boxing Association’s world middleweight 10-round title bout between Canadian Lindsay Garbatt and American Jaimie ‘The Miracle’ Mitchell.

In the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s co-main event, scheduled for eight rounds, Brazilian Simone Silva will take on American O’Shea Jones.

The show, according to Minus, will put First Class Promotions back in the spotlight after a 10-year hiatus as they honour co-founder Ray Minus Jr, who is now suffering from ALS, known as Motor Neuron Disease (MND), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Minus, the most decorated Bahamian professional boxer, is expected to be given the red-carpet treatment as he is honoured and recognised for his achievement as a former amateur and professional boxer, trainer and coach and founder of Champion Amateur Boxing Club, which produced many of the top amateur and pro fighters, who followed in his footsteps.

Veteran journalist Fred Sturrup, who serves as the chairman of the Bahamas Boxing Commission, hailed Minus for her tenacity in making her return to the fraternity as she brings the women’s programme to the Bahamas for the first time.

“We are so thankful for her resurgence and her being back with us because First Class Promotions has been one of the integral parts of the boxing programme over the last 20 years and there’s been a significant void when she was no longer promoting,” Sturrup said.

“It’s really tough in a lot of the countries, especially in third world countries promoting boxing today because of the circumstances. There’s a lot of cost of logistics of having people to travel and to pay for plane tickets and all the rest of it. It’s astronomical for most of our small countries. It’s always a testament of resilience, financial resilience as well, when someone from among us have to come back to the forefront to promote.”

Gloria Martinez-Rizzo, the WBA supervisor, said she’s pleased to be in the Bahamas, although she hasn’t seen anything yet, but so far so good.

“I’m very happy that Michelle is doing the first show with the WBA,” said Martinez-Rizzo of the organization that is 101 years old.

“So hoping to see everybody at the arena.”

American Brian Cohen, who serves as the manager for both Mitchell and Jones, two of the 25 female boxers in his stable, said this has been the best he’s seen professional boxers being treated as they are entertained in a beautiful place with all of its amenities.

“You have a great fight card. You have Simone Silva, who is fighting O’Shea Jones. O’Shea Jones is a bronze medallist in the Olympics. Simone has fought everybody and anybody in the divisions,” Cohen stated.

“You have a WBA title fight. You have Jaimie Mitchell, who is a former world champion, who is going up against Lindsay Garbatt, who is a former two-time world champion.

“So it’s going to be a great night. Great fights. I’ve done about five All-Female cards and this is one of the better ones.

“So thank you for having us.”

Joining the Ministries of Youth, Sports and Culture, as well as Tourism, are 100 Jamz/The Tribune Newspaper, Bahamian Brewery/Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits, Easy Car Sales, Breezes, ZNS, The Nassau Guardian, JCN/Love 97, Cable Bahamas Sports,. Nirvana Beach, Nassau Agencies, Sun Time, Doc’s Pharmacy, Ron’s Radiator, Original Patties, Daine’s Guest House, Eddie Electri Company Limited, Heastie’s Services Station and Battery & Tire Specialist.

Tickets, priced at $35 for general admission and $125 for VIP seating, are still available online at www.bahamas tickets.com or at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

The doors open at 6pm and the show starts at 8pm.