Gloves Over Guns Futures Fight Night Delivers Exciting Wins for Local and Visiting Boxers
The fifth bout between Riley Galvin of the United Kingdom and Sadeki Harris of GC Foster College stole the spotlight on Saturday night as the Gloves Over Guns Futures fight card thrilled a lively crowd at the Stanley Couch Gym in Parade Gardens, Kingston.
The light heavyweight contest saw both fighters start aggressively, with Harris looking sharper and better prepared in the opening round. Galvin, stepping out of the red corner with renewed intent in round two, quickly ran into trouble as Harris unleashed a series of punishing blows. Struggling to respond, Galvin was rescued by referee Duane Wilson, who stopped the contest at two minutes and 52 seconds of the second round. Despite the loss, Galvin entertained the audience with an impromptu dance routine after the medal presentation, drawing loud cheers.
“The fight was unique for me. I have had only two fights. It’s been two years since my last fight so I wanted to challenge myself coming to Jamaica,” Galvin said. “I am still struggling because it’s so hot in this country but it’s unreal, it’s really amazing. I have enjoyed every second of it. I don’t care about the result, what I care about is I am here in Jamaica having a good time and congratulations to my opponent. It was a great fight. I had fun.”
The night featured a heavy presence of foreign boxers, with athletes from the Cayman Islands and the UK involved in five of the seven bouts. Overall, the visitors won three bouts while Jamaican boxers claimed victory in four.
The card opened with Cayman Islands’ middleweight Demar Robinson securing a unanimous decision win over Fight For Peace’s Kevin Campbell, who is trained by former professional champion Sakima Mullings.
In an all-foreign lightweight clash, Cayman Islands’ Isaiah Hurlston outpointed Shahram Kalid of the UK. Hurlston effectively used his longer reach to land clean punches, and although fatigue began to show late in the second round, he did enough to win by unanimous decision.
Jamaican welterweight Kashieve Nelson of Suga Olympic Gym displayed his class against Caymanian opponent Jolan Hobson. Nelson dominated throughout, causing concern when Hobson suffered a nose bleed late in the second round. Cleared to continue by the ringside doctor, Hobson endured more punishment before his corner threw in the towel with 10 seconds left in the bout, prompting a loud roar of celebration from Nelson.
In another highly competitive lightweight clash, UK boxer Anthony Chaney edged GC Foster’s Joe-var Hunt by decision. Both fighters traded heavy shots, but Chaney’s superior fitness and strength helped him convince the judges.
The first all-Jamaican bout of the evening saw middleweight Taffarel Cayman of Suga Olympic Gym overwhelm Howard Robinson of Montego Bay Gym. Cayman’s aggression forced referee Anthony McNeish to stop the fight one minute and 43 seconds into the second round as Robinson struggled to stay upright, holding onto the ropes.
The final fight of the night, a light heavyweight all-Jamaican contest, featured a disciplined performance from Christopher Pinnock of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), who neutralized Tevoy Barrett of Suga Olympic Gym with smart movement and pressure. Barrett, visibly exhausted and eventually vomiting during round two, prompted referee Kevin Stupart to stop the bout at one minute and 48 seconds.
“I put in a lot of hard work into this, not to mention my coach,” Pinnock said after the win. “My dedicated coach gave me a lot of bag drills, sprints, hard work, sparring. It was very hectic, so I worked really hard for this fight.”
The event attracted notable guests including Elise Seignolle, president of the PanAm Boxing Confederation; Chris Samuda, president of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA); Kevin Russell, president of the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association; and Thelma Johill, chairman of Fern Court High School.
Seignolle praised the overall standard of the card, noting, “I am actually very, very impressed by tonight’s fight night. The level of the kids was pretty impressive. They were novices, some of them, and you wouldn’t realize that – a lot of poise, a lot of control, technically sound, and at the same time a lot of heart.”
JOA president Samuda reiterated his organization’s commitment to the sport, highlighting the JOA’s promised $5 million investment in boxing.
“Jamaica Olympic Association is here to stay with our boxers. We see the future is bright. Let us make it even brighter, but we have to be very strategic in terms of our investment — in human capital and infrastructure — and that is what we are pursuing,” Samuda said.
Saturday night’s Gloves Over Guns Futures fight night served not only as a showcase of promising talent but also as a reminder that the future of boxing in Jamaica is looking brighter with continued investment and opportunities.
