Wednesday, August 12, 2009

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Commonwealth title clash up for grabs by local promoters By FRED STURRUP ~ NG Associate Editor ~ frederick@nasguard.com: The significance of the Bahamian professional program was never more evident that in recent months. Normally, the big countries within the Commonwealth, Australia, New Zealand, Canada those of the United Kingdom and certainly Africa would snatch up the title fights without much of a push at all from the smaller nations. Well, such is the status of Bahamian boxing today that the big guys sort of shied away this time, figuring inevitably a Bahamian entity would get the Commonwealth super middleweight title fight, Champion Jermaine Mackey's defense against mandatory challenger Charles Adamu of Ghana. As it turned out after the bidding process, the Commonwealth Boxing Council office submitted just two promotional groups, C.W. Major Promotions and First Class Promotions to the Adamu camp for a deal to be made. The council now awaits the arrival of signed contracts from any of the local groups. This means that there is now an outright opportunity for the title event to be in the champion's backyard. People of the boxing world in particular, know how significant such a scenario is. It means certainly that those who speak for Bahamian boxing around the regional and international tables are influential. Last year, although the promoter of the vacant super middleweight title fight was unable to meet two initial dates, the bout was not shifted and the bid award was not rescinded. Now Mackey will have the comfort zone of being at home once again. The situation cements The Bahamas as certainly the most prominent pro boxing country in the Caribbean region and one respected very highly throughout the Commonwealth. The steady stepping-to-the-plate by First Class Promotions since 2004 has had a major impact on the pro game. However, the re-crafting of pro boxing by the commissions in place since 2003, has placed The Bahamas as a boxing power within world organizations like never before. Locally, folks are coming back on board. A promotional group representing light/super featherweight standout Meacher Major has successfully applied to the commission for a promotional license. Charles Thompson, whose Poinciana Arena became synonymous with Bahamian boxing during the 1980s, has contacted the commission with an interest in returning to his promotional ways. Additionally, a lot more is on the table for the commission during the 2009-2010 fiscal period. Fifty-six years ago, Yama Bahama made a splash on the international boxing scene for The Bahamas and today, the vibrancy of the sport is a tribute to Yama and the island of Bimini. In a number of conversations over the weekend in Bimini where Yama's funeral was held on Saturday past, the sports power reputation of that island was discussed. The case can strongly be made in track and field, basketball, baseball and certainly boxing. The fact that of the three first announced inductees into The Bahamas Boxing Hall of Fame, two of them are from Bimini, is full proof. There is Yama. Then, there is the young cousin who followed him directly, Gomeo Brennan and of course former World Champion Elisha Obed. Those are three mighty names, a testimony to the high level contribution of pro boxing to the national sports program. Tuesday, July 14, 2009