Fireworks at 'Contender' boxing

Leroy Brown, Gleaner Writer

Hard-punching Devon Moncrieffe kept his Green Team on the winning path in the Wray and Nephew Contender series on Wednesday night, with a third-round technical knockout victory over Lloyd Smith from the Yellow Team, at the Chinese Benevolent Association auditorium.

Another large crowd was on hand to see the fifth week of action in the boxing series, which is being promoted by MJK Productions with the approval of the Jamaica Boxing Board of Control. J. Wray and Nephew are the title sponsors in association with Claro and TVJ, who broadcasts the show live each Wednesday at 9:30 p.m.

The previous week's show was steeped in controversy, as in what was a very close fight, Donovan Campbell scored a majority decision over Patrick Taylor. What happened in that fight was that Campbell won the first three rounds and lost the other three. Taylor, however, had a point deducted in the third round for consistent holding and that cost him the fight. Most people believed Taylor won, however, because of his very strong finish.

There was no room for controversy last Wednesday, as there was non-stop action until referee Barrington Graham stopped the fight at one minute 16 seconds in the third round, after Moncrieffe pulled out all the stops against Smith and hurt him.

In the first round, Smith, who is the taller boxer, used his reach to good advantage, and with a mixture of jabs and power punches won a very close round. Moncrieffe, who is four inches shorter than Smith, decided that he would keep the action at close range in the second round, so as to negate Smith's reach and jab advantage, and was successful with this strategy. He came in relentlessly, throwing "haymakers", and although Smith made him miss repeatedly, he still managed to land some devastating punches.

Smith was in trouble late in the round, but was given some respite, when the referee, in a lapse of concentration, gave him a standing eight count which is not allowed. Moncrieffe was back on the attack immediately afterwards, but the bell signalling the end of the round put a brief halt to the onslaught.

Moncrieffe came out aggressively in the third round and Smith made the mistake of trying to trade punches with him. That proved his undoing, as Moncrieffe landed some hard blows to Smith's head that hurt him, and sensing this, the referee moved in quickly, and stopped the fight.

This is the fourth victory for the Green Team, despite winning only one of the five challenges that give the choice of opponent to the winner. The series continues next Wednesday.