Serious business for boxing’s ring card girls

A vixen’s job is perhaps the least strenuous at a boxing event, but ask Brittany Sappleton, and she will tell you that her role as a ring girl is as important as the individual officiating a fight.

A ring card girl is a woman who enters the ring between rounds of a combat sport, carrying a sign that displays the number of the upcoming round. They are usually skimpily dressed and are often seen in boxing, kickboxing and martial arts.

The 25-year-old Sappleton recently led a cohort of promo girls, dazzling lustful eyes, as they watched their favourite local boxers trade punches during the fourth staging of the Wray and Nephew Fight Nights series, held last Saturday at Breezy Castle in downtown Kingston.

Sappleton, a brand ambassador of the rum company, said her job was not just fun, but also significant.

“The role of a vixen at boxing events is quite significant, as it is entertaining to watch vixens carry out their tasks in between rounds. We are very conscious of the images we bring. That also makes it fun when some patrons call out to us,” said Sappleton, smiling.

APPRECIATION FOR SPORT

The former St Catherine High and Jose Marti High school graduate says being a part of the series, held every six weeks, has given her a greater appreciation for the sport.

“It’s a great event. You get to meet new people and get an understanding of the sport. Before I started, I never knew this much about boxing. I never thought it was so technical and precise. I only thought it was about swinging the hardest punch,” said Sappleton, adding that the job as a ring card girl poses little to no danger.

“My experience has been a great one. I love the energy and excitement from the crowd. There are literally no challenges. The task is simple and comes naturally; as such, it was effortless to execute. I would do it all over again,” she said.

Six fights took place on the night in front of jubilant fans determined not to be deterred by the rains.

In fight one, the Jamaica Defence Force’s (JDF) Khamui Barrett lasted for just one minute and fifty seconds before he dislocated his left shoulder.

Ringside doctor Andre McDonald stopped the match before Trelawny-based Sanjae Hudson was declared the winner.

Kirk-Patrick Heron fought valiantly but took a beating in round one against his opponent, Delano McLaughan, another member of the JDF. The soldier won by unanimous decision.

Fights three and four went to Gervan Gordon and Kevon McKenzie by unanimous decisions, respectively.

In the two professional fights, JDF’s Ian ‘Impact’ Darby got the better of his opponent, Mason ‘Common Fowl’ Brown, inside two minutes of the first round. Referee Owen Nelson stopped the match after Mason did not respond to several blows from Darby.

In the other match, Jamaican Jermaine ‘Breezy’ Richards thumped his way to an easy one-minute-and-three-second victory over his Colombian opponent, Francisco Cordero.

Roxroy McLean