Taylor, Campbell ready to explode

Leroy Brown, Gleaner Writer

After last week's explosive contest between Sakima Mullings and Glenroy 'Bumpy' Beckford, which the latter won by technical knockout (tko) in round five, the Wray and Nephew Contender series continues tonight with a matchup between Patrick Taylor, representing the Yellow Team, and Donovan 'Police' Campbell, representing the Green Team.

The action starts at 8:30 p.m. with two amateur contests, to be followed by the main bout, which will be broadcast live at 9:30 p.m. by TVJ from the Chinese Benevolent Society auditorium.

The 15-week boxing series, which is promoted by MJK Productions, approved by the Jamaica Boxing Board of Control and sponsored by J. Wray and Nephew Limited, Claro and TVJ, matches 16 middleweight boxers, one of whom will be crowned the middleweight cham-pion of Jamaica at the end.

Prize money for the winner is $1 million, while second, third and fourth place finishers will take home $500,000, $250,000 and $200,000, respectively.

The competition is now into its fourth week and excitement has started to build among the spectators, who flock to see the action each week. Tonight's fight will, quite likely, not be as explosive as last week's encounter, but both men are confident of victory and a very competitive match is expected.

The Yellow Team won last week's challenge which took place on the G.C. Foster College grounds and they, therefore, selected tonight's competitors. As was the case last week, the Green Team was happy with the selections made and team leader Carl Grant was confident yesterday that his team's 2-1 lead will increase tonight.

Plans to get even

However, his rival Andrew Boland stated that his team's choice was a tactical one and their plan is to "even things up tonight".

Campbell, with a record of 11 wins and four losses, is one of the most experienced boxers in the tournament and is confident he will be the man whose hand will be raised tonight as the victor.

"I have never seen Taylor fight, but it does not matter to me. I am sure that I will have too much power for him. My team will continue to dominate this series," said Campbell.

Taylor has had only three professional fights, but his 27-5 amateur record shows that he knows his way around the ring. He, too, was confident yesterday and also predicted victory.

"I wanted to fight Campbell and the team agreed with me. That is why this match was agreed on and I intend to keep up my end of the bargain," he said.