Contender Boxing Series gets underway

Livingston Scott

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

THE Green team's Richard Holmes will start favourite against Yellow team's Courtney Simister when season two of the popular Wray & Nephew (W&N) Contender boxing series gets underway at the Chinese Benevolent Association this evening.

Sixteen of the country's top welterweight are vying to become the champion welterweight contender for 2012, stepping down from middleweight in 2011.

The young, confident Holmes of Bruising Gym who stepped down from the middleweight class is expected to get the better of Simister, who came out of retirement only last year and spent a few years off the scene.

Although coach of the Yellow team, Andrew Boland, acknowledges his fighter is the underdog, he believes if Simister fights a tactical fight he can win.

"Courtney has been missing from the ring for a year or two, other than sparring, so this will be a very interesting match... but Holmes is a little cocky and sure about himself, and I like that.

"... What I'm counting on is his style because he loves to make mistakes... so it will be a tactical fight," he said.

He noted that because Simister was not as active as the other fighters of late, he may suffer a bit from his condition, but he believes he has enough fitness to take out his opponent.

"He has to put his heart and soul into the competition and stay focused... that's the main thing," he added.

Boland's counterpart, Carl Grant, who is also coach of the famed Bruising Gym, said it will be a 'bruising' affair for Simister when he faces off against Holmes this evening.

However, he was quick to point out that his boxer was not cocky, but was just using his fighting style.

"It's just his style so you have to just leave him and let him be himself, and that's why Bruising is the number one gym because we allow the boxers to be themselves," he argued.

Grant noted that Simister has been off the scene for too long and although he believed he was good in his time, he said Holmes will be too much for him.

Meanwhile, Jamaica Boxing Board of Control (JBBC) president Stephen Jones welcomed the season's opening and expects the series to pick up from the excitement and drama of last season.

"We've been fully prepared since the end of the last show, so it should be high energy from day one... we expect good fights and sport and entertainment," he said.

He noted that all the boxers were eager to give of their best and that spectators will be just as thrilled about the bouts this year.

"They're all going to give their all and they plan to do their best... but what will separate one from the other is their boxing skills, so although it's going to be very good competition, the best of the best will come through after a while," he said.