By Marlon Munroe
In a match-up of unequal proportions in the feature event of the seventh Pro-Am card Mandessa Moses fought to a unanimous decision over Sharon ‘Stone’ Warde at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on Friday night.
Moses entered the ring with a mere 128 pounds for the catch weight encounter against Warde, who entered the ring at 168 pounds. From the first bell Moses landed at a higher percentage due in part to her speed.
Moses, conscious of being the smaller of the two fighters, stuck her jab and moved with great effect, a tactic that slowed Warde down. At times when Warde was being hit constantly she held on to Moses who often boxed her way out of the situation.
At other times Moses landed two and three-punch combinations which were unanswered by Warde, who had started to show signs of tiring by the third round.
However, the most telling punch of the fight came in the mid-part of the third frame when Moses connected a straight right hand shot to Warde’s face.
The effects of that punch momentarily distorted the contours of Warde’s face which also made her upper body ripple. In the end the judges scored the fight 40-37, 40-36, 40-36 for Moses.
In the first bout on the professional card Mark Austin, who is starting to become the pull factor of the monthly Friday Night Fights, displayed a brilliant performance with a crushing right hand that floored Errol Trotman. The vicious right hook came one minute, 40 seconds into the third round after it was set up by two left jabs.
Austin, who delivered a clinical display to triumph over Shawn Pile at the last FNF card, was even better this time around. Punches came in bunches and for every connected punch there was no answer from Trotman.
Trotman was content to bob and weave without throwing many punches. He landed a few punches but nothing to trouble the inform Austin, who has pushed his record to 4-0.
Leon ‘The Lion’ Gilkes also secured a unanimous decision verdict from the judges over Theophilus ‘Blue’ King in the second bout. Gilkes was animated for the entire four rounds, an attribute that was lacking from his performances in his last two fights.
He attacked King from the start and connected the more effective shots. He showed signs of diligent work in the gym since he was on his toes jabbing, slipping and putting and landing his power shots. In the second round of the fight Gilkes floored King.
Gilkes continued the onslaught after King received the eight-count before the round ended. In the third and final rounds the two traded blows with Gilkes landing the crisper shots before the final bell went.
Dexter Marques after being out of the ring for some time produced another good performance to beat Rudolph Fraser by unanimous decision. Marques was active and elusive for the entire four rounds while Fraser tried his best to keep up with the pace.
Meanwhile in the amateur fights Central American and Caribbean (CAC) bronze medallist Dexter Jordan suffered his first defeat on home soil after his return from Puerto Rico three weeks ago. Keeve Allicock won by a 3-0 margin.
Republican gym’s Nandkumar Singh suffered his second defeat at the FNF card. This time, his loss came against Mervin Ageday. CAC fighter Bert Braithwaite won against Dameion Ross while Commonwealth selectee Devon Boatswain was unstoppable against Kelsie George.
