The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net    

Carl “Flashy” Hield and Rashield “Raw” Williams made their professional debuts at home with knockouts in different fashion on the Champion Spirit Fight Night in The Bahamas show on Saturday night.

In the ballroom of the Baha Mar resort in what was dubbed the return of “Drama in the Bahamas,” promoter Abdoulaye Fadiga honoured the legacy of Muhammad Ali while showcasing The Bahamas as a world-class destination for sports and entertainment. 

It was the first world championship fight in The Bahamas in over 43 years since the legendary bout between Muhammad Ali and Trevor Berbick in 1981. 

    Rashield “Raw” Williams
  

There was no shortage of excitement in the ring as undefeated French powerhouse Kevin Lele Sadjo, Chinese star Xu “The Monster” Can and Miami heavyweight Anthony “White Chocolate” Martinez rocked the house with their tantalising performances as well. 

The star-studded evening attracted actor Theo Rossi, supermodel Chanel Iman and actress Heidy De La Rosa, along with Baha Mar president Graeme Davis. The Bahamas Boxing Commission, headed by Fred Sturrup, was on hand to help supervise the show.

Hield, longing for the opportunity to finally come home and compete after his shifting from the amateur to the pro ranks,  took his time to electrify the hometown crowd with a spectacular knockout of Panamanian Edwin Gamboa. After showboating for most of the latter rounds, Hield unleashed a right shot to the face of Gamboa one minute and 21 seconds into the eighth, sending the Panamanian flat on his back to end the circus. In defending his World Boxing Association’s FedeCaribe super welterweight title, Hield said he wanted to take his time and savor the moment of competing at home after his training camp in Colombia and Fort Lauderdale, Fllrid. “It took me lobg becusecsometimews vyou hwve to get the rounds in,”v said Hield, who had to work through a head butt tht left  cut over his left eye from the second round.

“You never look for the knockout. You wait for it to come by itself.”

In clinching his ninth knockout in as many pro fights, Hield said he knew from the fourth round that Gsmbi was tired and it showed as he tried to match his flamboyant moves to preserve some energy.

“I had a tough year going into training camp with the passing of my mom (Norm Hield) and then the situation at home (with me losing my subvention),” Hield said. “So I’m very thankful to Champion Spirits for allowing me to come home to show that I really belong in this sport.”

Now ranked at number seven in the WBA, the 38-year-old Held said he’s hoping that Fadiga can negotiate a world title fight for him at home next year. 

In a non-title fight, Williams was all business as he sent Jose Belloso twice on the canvas in the second round, the last time resulting in a technical knockout with 1:21 left on the clock.

“In the first round, I just wanted to come out and feel him out. I usually come out hot, but my team told me to take my time and they will let me know when I want to go,” Will;iams said. “So I just followed my instructions and that was it.”

Williams, 35, thanked Champion Spirit for affording him the opportunity to fight at home and he is hoping that it would be the first of many after he improved his record to 12-3. 

Appearing in the first title fight of the night, Xu Can went the distance as he out-slugged Jonathan Arenas from Panama for the International Boxing Organization’s super featherweight World Boxing Association’s Continental title.

The second title fight saw Julio Cesar La Cruz stop Jeison Troncoso 1:49 into the seventh for his TKO win for the WBA gold title in the bantamweight division.

In thanking the Bahamas for giving me the opportunity to fight here, La Cruz said he knew it was only going to be a matter of time before the fight was over. .

“In boxing, you have a strategy, so I wanted to work on my jab and then go for the strategy which was to put him out when the time came,” he said. 

“You don’t go for the knockout. You wait for it to come. But I’m very happy that I was able to get the knockout and win the title here.”

And in the final bout of the night, the towering American Anthony Martinez added the IBO American heavyweight title to his collection after he knocked out the less than 6-feet bBrayan Santander of Colombia 1:21 into the second round forcing him to get medical attention. 

“I feel good. It’ good to be here in the Bahamas. It’s been a long time coming. I would like to be a part of the Champion Spirit boxing team,” said Martiniez, who also holds the WBA NBA heavyweight and WBO Latino cruiserweight titles. 

Commenting on his fight, the 6-feet, 5-inches Martinez said his opponent was just too small and instead of waiting for him to ttck, he just decided to go in and take him out. 

Kevin ‘the Punisher’ Lele Sadjo claimed a thrilling title victory against Diego Chaves from Argentina. He noted that he enjoyed himself so much that he’s looking forward to making an encore here.

“I was sure to be the winner because he had a really good preparation with his coach,” he said. “It’s my first time here and I’m happy to have won in the Bahamas.”

Also on the card, Jason Marquez went the distance as he pulled off the victory over Luis Perez Sanchez in the opening bout of the show. 

Fadiga, who got the show broadcasted live on DAZN, said Champion Spirit Fight Night in The Bahamas was a fusion of luxury, adrenaline, and historic achievement—a night that saw boxing take center stage in The Bahamas once again.  

“It was a great success tonight with a lot of people coming and we are so appreciative because we can now call this the new place for international professional boxing,” he summed up.

Fadiga’s Champion Spirit, a global leader in high-performance wellness, sports, and fitness. In the lead-up to the event, the fighters trained at the Champion Spirit Country Club, utilizing its state-of-the-art programs and elite coaching. 

Champion Spirit Country Club, the brand’s innovative 360° wellness, sports, and performance resort, is set to open in 2025 featuring world-class training facilities, cutting-edge wellness offerings, and exclusive experiences for athletes, families, and wellness enthusiasts alike.