Walters. Salinas. Tonight!... Boxing returns with international card

Leroy Brown, Gleaner Writer

Jamaica's boxing fans will get the opportunity to see Nicholas Walters, the World Boxing Association (WBA) Fedelatin featherweight champion, defend his title tonight, against Argel Salinas from Mexico, at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium, Jamaica College. This is the first card in the Hands of Gold boxing series this year, which is being promoted by Title Events, in association with the Jamaica Boxing Board of Control. Fight time is 8 p.m.

There will be another title fight on the card. It will be a 10-rounder, in which popular Jamaican middleweight Sakima Mullings will fight Winston Pompey from Guyana for the vacant Commonwealth Zonal middleweight title. Middleweight champion Rikardo Smith will also go up against veteran Anthony Osbourne in a six-rounder.

This will be a homecoming for Walters who, since becoming a professional on August 2, 2008, has fought overseas, mainly in Panama. He goes into the fight tonight with an impressive 17-0 record, with fourteen of these fights ending inside the distance.

Dogged determination

His opponent Salinas, who has a 14-8 record with seven knockouts, has been a professional since March 27, 2006, holds the World Boxing Council Youth Inter-continental featherweight title, which he won on July 8, 2010.

Mexican fighters are known for their dogged determination and fighting skills, and anyone who has seen a Mexican fight knows that they have a never-say-die attitude inside the ring. This is the type of opponent that Walters will clash with tonight and try to come out victorious.

All indications are that it will be an action-packed encounter. Walters is an explosive fighter who is comfortable working at either long range or at close quarters. He builds up his attacks behind the jab, and when he gets close, he attacks both body and head with hooks, uppercuts and combination punches.

Although most of his fights have ended inside the distance, he has said that he does not go into the ring looking for knockouts. "I go in to win each round, point by point. But if I wear my opponent down and the opportunity for a knockout presents itself, I will take it," he said yesterday.

He then went on to say, "I am confident, but I am not going to underestimate my opponent. He is more experienced than me, has a good record and above all is a Mexican. I have learnt never to take a Mexican fighter lightly. I am ready and I am going in there to fight."

Salinas, who came in on Tuesday, did not do any sparring here so there was no opportunity to see him throw punches. His record speaks for itself, however. He has wins and losses and has stopped seven of his rivals. His trainer said that he is in good condition and is confident. Boxing fans will see it unfold tonight as both men put their capabilities on show.