The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

COACH Ronn Rodgers was quite pleased with the performances of his Strikers Boxing Club as they won two of their three matches against the visiting team of boxers from New York at the Enoch Backford Auditorium on Saturday.

The show dubbed “The Chosen One will win” saw Kendric Stuart awarded a reversal decision after reviewing the judges’ card in his action packed match-up against American Brian Paiz. That was followed by Anvin Sands utilising his height to pull off the win over American Nicoy Clarke.

But in the finale, American Daniel Murray out-slugged Tyrone Oliver.

There was a slight bit of controversy after Paiz was declared the winner in what turned out to be the fight of the night against Stuart. After a review, Stuart was declared the winner. According to Rodgers, it was an oversight on the part of the ring announcer and they managed to correct the mistake with Paiz.

“I think everybody out here knew that I won the fight,” Stuart said. “It doesn’t matter once I know deep down that I won it. I just have to go back in the gym and work harder so next time I fight, it won’t be that close.”

This one was too close to call as both competitors went after each other from start to finish in the three-round bout. In the second round, Paiz caught Stuart early with a right that sent him on the canvas for an eight count by referee Gregory Storr. Stuart, however, returned the favour just before the bell sounded as Paiz got his eighth count from Storr.

The difference in the bout may have come in the third when Stuart went to the body and really did a number of Paiz, who managed to respond by throwing a number of shots of his own.

In the second bout, the much taller Anvin Sands was just simply too much for Nicoy Clarke to handle. Although 33-year-old Clarke, who got started in boxing at the age of 29, was able to get in on the inside in all three rounds, he found himself having to hold on as the 20-year-old Sands stayed ahead of him with his power punches.

“The fight was very good, but all the hard work and dedication paid off,” Sands said. “It was a very nice fight. The guy who I fought made it tough. I just came out with the win. The crowd was keeping me going, so I really didn’t want to disappoint them.”

In the third round, realising that he was ahead on points, Sands tried to stay away from Clarke’s attack by running a bit instead of staying and going toe-to-toe.

The last bout saw American Daniel Murray pick apart Tyrone Oliver with his left jab. Oliver threw a series of combinations in each round, but Murray stayed ahead of him by using his jab and coming through with a series of combos to the body and the head.

“It was good. He was a tough opponent, but I just out-jabbed him and out-boxed him as I came out with the win,” said Murray, 22. “First round, I out-jabbed him and threw more right hands. He had a lot of power. In the third round, I saw and opening and I just went for a double right hand that worked out perfectly. It snapped his head back and from there on, I just kept moving.”

The shot forced Oliver to take an eighth count from referee Storr before he was able to continue fighting. That may have sealed the deal for Clarke.

Jose Cruz, who along with Reuben Morales brought the boxers from New York, said they came here a couple months ago to put on a boxing club at his Strikers Boxing Club in the South Beach Shopping Centre.

“We need to support him. This show he put together with a lot of hard work, so it was important for us to be here to support him,” Cruz said. “The job that he is doing, if we don’t support him, it will not happen. We need to get behind him. If we don’t do this, it will fall flat. I will be here to help the Bahamas in whatever way I can.”

Rodgers, thanking Cruz and Morales for the bringing the boxers to compete, said they are pleased with their relationship and even though they only had three fights, the performances may not have been all that he had anticipated, but it’s only going to propel him to push even harder with his Strikers Boxing Club programme.

On July 28, Rodgers intends to take six of his boxers to Kansas City to compete at the Ringside World Championships. They are Kendrick Stuart, Tyrone Oliver, Anvin Sands, Deangelo Swaby, Israel Johnson and Devon Hamilton. Johnson was scheduled to box on the card but his opponent never showed up.

The night got started with an exhibition Nassau Wrestling Association contest between Tomeko ‘Triple Ace’ Whylly and Travan ‘Vilntt’ Turner. In a rematch of their last showing when the Champion Boxing Club held their Sonny Boy Rahming Boxing Tournament at the Fish Fry, the ‘Vilntt’ got the edge over Triple Ace.

There was also a special bout between Ray Minus Jr’s Champion Boxing Club as brothers Kenny (9) and Rodrick (6) Edmond entertained the crowd in three one-minute rounds. There was no winner, but clearly the taller and older Kenny did some damage on Rodrick, who simply refused to back down.

Minus Jr, who was on hand for the show, celebrated his 50th birthday. The former Bahamas bantamweight and lightweight champion, who went on to win the British Commonwealth title and fought three times for the world title, was given a cake by his family and friends that was shared with the fans in attendance.