Jamaica’s Richard ‘Frog’ Holmes, 29, with a 15-6 record, and 35-year-old Phil Rose from Canada, who has a 8-4-1 record, will enter the ring at The Mico University College complex at approximately 9.30 tonight, to decide whether the Wray & Nephew Contender junior middleweight 2017 final on July 26 will be an all-Jamaica or a Canada versus Jamaica affair.

In what is expected to be an action-packed affair, they will clash over seven rounds in the second semi-final of the competition. In last week’s semi-final, Sakima Mullings booked his spot in the final with a hard-fought split decision victory over Tsetsi Davis.

Before the main bout, there will be an entertaining fight over eight rounds between crowd favourite, American Demarcus ‘Chop Chop’ Corley and Jamaica’s hard-hitting Ramel Lewis, in a junior welterweight contest.

Holmes reached the semis with victories over Canadians Mike Breton and Francesco Cotroni, while Rose had to get past Jamaican Ricardo Planter and fellow Canadian David Leblond. They were impressive in their victories and were both oozing confidence yesterday. Holmes told The Gleaner that he is in much better condition than when he fought Cotroni.

BETTER PREPARED

“My training has gone well, physically I am better prepared and even if the fight goes to seven rounds, I will not have a problem.”

Asked if he had a specific plan for Rose, he said: “We have looked at tapes of his fights and we have a good idea of what he will do. We do not have one plan. We are expecting a good, hard fight and will decide what to do from round to round. We are ready.”

Rose was also supremely confident. He has had over a month to prepare for this fight, and said yesterday that he had used his time wisely.

“I worked hard, did a lot of ring work with good sparring partners and I am ready.” From the start of the competition he stated that he was confident that he would go all the way, and still feels the same way.

“We are going home with the title,” is the word from his camp, and they see tonight’s fight as just one more step in that direction. Both sides have predicted a hard fight, but are confident of victory.

The bout between Corley and Lewis is full of possibilities. The American is a master strategist and is very clever inside the ring. He is very experienced, and at age 43 has a record of 49 wins, 28 losses and one draw. Lewis, who is 29, has a 7-6 record. This will be a fight in which experience and ring guile will go up against raw power. If Lewis can catch Corley he will take him out, but Corley is as smart as they come, and will be very elusive. This will be an intriguing encounter.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/sports/20170712/jamaica-canada-clash-second-contender-semi-final

Phil Rose

Richard Holmes

Last year’s beaten finalist Richard “Frog” Holmes and Canadian boxer Phil Rose are set to trade punches in the semi-final of the Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum Contender Series at the Mico University grounds today, starting at 8:30 pm.

Holmes, Team Jamaica’s number two seed, and Team Canada’s number one seed Rose will vie for the final spot in this year’s Contender Series for the title of Jamaica’s Ultimate Junior Middleweight Contender.

And from all indications, they look in fine trim for a blockbuster semi-final clash at the weigh-in with Holmes touching the scales at 153lbs and Rose at 152lbs.

Both men promised fireworks as they seek to move into the championship match.

“My intention is to go into the ring to get the job of winning done. I have been training hard for this fight. I am not one to underestimate my opponents, but I am in very good shape to fight,” Holmes said.

Rose has nothing but victory on his mind.

“I am in good shape for this fight and my intention going there is to come away a winner,” said the Canadian.

In the profesional under card, defending Contender champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley will take on Ramel “Sub Zero” over five rounds. An amateur fight completes the three-fight card.

— Hurbun Williams

SISTER Mary Prema, superior general of Saint Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity in India, and Sister Ronald Mc, regional superior of the charity, say they are happy with the work being done at their mission here in Jamaica.

Sister Prema, who was yesterday on her first trip to Jamaica, visited the mission located at 73 – 75 Tower Street in Kingston.

“I am very happy to see how well kept the home is and I’m very happy to see that the residents are all smiling and they are very happy. The sisters (assigned to mission) are also very happy to be here serving,” Sister Prema told the Jamaica Observer. The service, she said, is for the poorest of the poor regardless of colour or class.

“We serve the elderly and on Saturdays we have a meal service where we serve about 300 people. We also have the sitting family (residents at the home) and during the week we distribute bread and pastry to the people. We also do meal studies with the people,” explained Sister Ronald Mc.

And despite its location and the recent spate of violence rocking sections of Kingston, the sisters said the mission remains undisturbed by the violence, for the most part. Sister Ronald said the home is not directly affected by violence; however, from time to time gunshots from surrounding communities create quite a scare.

“We hear the gunshots. I always have the courage. We pray for those in the situations and we pray for the people. The community has never been subjected to violence. The people come to us when they are in need so they are very protective, and the gunmen don’t give us any trouble.”

Sister Prema said she has no fears while performing acts of charity, as her love for the poor helps to conquer all.

“My desire is much greater than fear to serve those who don’t have anybody else to serve them. I have a desire and love for the poor,” she said. “You must face them (your fears) one at a time, when you take them all on, that’s when it becomes overwhelming. When you take them one at a time, the grace and the help is there.”

A German by birth, Sister Prema said she joined the India-based Sisters of Charity in 1980, after she read a book, Something Beautiful for God by Malcolm Muggeridge. Muggeridge wrote the book after he conducted an interview with Mother Teresa.

“As a young woman I had a great desire to be a missionary. I wanted to serve not too close to my own home, but far away. One day, I came across the book and it served as a pre-invitation to my soul that I wanted to serve,” she said.

Yesterday, Sister Prema bemoaned what she said was a decline in the number of young people who are committed to serving as missionaries.

“We still have young women who are joining and we still have young people who are very much interested in helping and volunteering. The numbers of young sisters have diminished over the years, but still we are grateful that we are able to continue the work.”

She added: “Young people find it very difficult to commit to a life of radical living. Most are still coming from India. Mother Teresa didn’t call young people to live this life. It is Jesus. Mother was definitely guiding them, but it’s Jesus that calls and he never stops calling.”

The low-profile Sister Prema is one of the most senior nuns in the order, serving as third superior general. Sister Prema, who is known for her work among the poor, was first elected in 2009 and was re-elected in March 2015.

The Sisters of Charity operates in some 760 communities in approximately 139 countries, with missions also in Haiti, Trinidad and Cuba.

The Sisters of Charity is the religious congregation founded by Mother Teresa — now Saint Teresa — of Calcutta, India.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/saint-teresa-8217-s-mission-happy-with-work-in-jamaica_104622?profile=1373

Former champion Sakima Mullings marched into the final of the Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum Contender Boxing Series for the second time in three seasons following a blow-filled split decision win over Tsetsi Davis in the first semi-final at the Mico University Grounds on Wednesday night.

In the under card pro-fight, Devon Moncriffe of Jamaica defeated Winston Matthews of Canada by a popular majority decision after all three judges — Brian Beauchamp, Clifford Brown and Ransford Burton — scored the bout in favour of the Jamaican.

Action continues at the same venue next week Wednesday when DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley faces Ramel Lewis in the pro-under card over five rounds.

In the night’s feature, Richard “Frog” Holmes, the Team Jamaica number two seed, comes up against Team Canada’s number one seed Phil Rose in the second semi-final over seven rounds.

On Wednesday night Mullings earned the decision to be the first to qualify for the 2017 Contender “Best Of The Best” series final for the title of Jamaica’s Ultimate Junior Middleweight Contender.

This followed an action-filled seven rounds after which two of the three judges — Brian Beauchamp and Keith Brown — scored the bout 68-65 and 67-66, respectively, in favour of the former champion. The other judge, Lindell Allen, scored it 67- 66 in favour of Davis, who also lost to Mullings in the 2014 final by a unanimous decision.

The win increases Mullings’ ring record to 22 wins, three losses, and 14 knockouts from 25 fights.

It was action from the opening gong. And even with a feeling out period where the boxers started slowly in the first half of the round, the heat went up for the remainder as Mullings went for the body from early.

And from the end on the first round on, even though Davis showed a much improved approach to his craft, Mullings took control of the first four rounds by using his heavy body-punching technique to good effect.

Davis, who was in great shape for the first five rounds, came into his own for most of the fifth, which he took. However, from thence he failed to reproduce the mesmeric industry that he displayed in his quarter-final match against his Team Canada number one challenger Ryan Young, and he wilted for the next two rounds as Mullings stepped up his body blows.

“I felt great mentally and physically going into the fight. We were working assiduously in the gym as we knew that Davis was in great shape. We both have the same attributes, but what I used as a major tool was my desire and that iron will to overcome and succeed,” said Mullings.

Asked about the possibility of facing Richard Holmes in the final, Mullings responded: “Both he and Davis are my friends, so it gives me no pleasure to go into the ring to fight guys that I know. But in the end of it all, it is business as usual,” he added.

Davis, failing to accept the decision of the judges once again, declared in his post-match comments that he was finished competing in the Contender series.

“I done with Contender. Seriously to God, I done with it,” he said.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/mullings-marches-into-contender-final-after-win-over-vexed-davis_104163?profile=1511

Sakima Mullings the No. 1-rated boxer in the Wray and Nephew Contender 2017 competition, had to fight off a stiff challenge from arch-rival Tsetsi Davis at The Mico University College on Wednesday night to book his place in the final, scheduled for July 26.

After seven pulsating rounds of boxing, there was a split decision, as judges Brian Beauchamp 68-65 and Keith Brown 67-66 voted for Mullings, while judge Lindell Allen voted 67-66 for Davis. The second semi-final between Canadian Phil Rose and Jamaica’s Richard ‘Frog” Holmes will take place next Wednesday at the same venue.

An exciting fight between these two rivals was expected, and it lived up to expectations. When they met in the 2014 finals, Mullings, who now has a 22-3 record, came out the winner when Davis retired in the seventh round of their 10- round bout. Davis, who is now18-6, did not flinch on Wednesday night, however, and took the fight to Mullings. Both men sent out early signals that they meant business, because, after a brief period of throwing tentative jabs, they started hurling ‘bombs’ at each other.

Davis usually came in behind a straight jab, and followed this up with right hooks to both the head and body. Fortunately for Mullings, only a few of the head shots found the mark, and he was able to work his way out of trouble repeatedly. He, in turn, concentrated on flurries, particularly to the body, and scored a lot of points this way.

He conceded after the fight that Davis was “a very difficult opponent and he really surprised me. His tactics were hard to read, as he changed repeatedly, and I just had to concentrate on my own plan of attack”.

One of the things that he tried was to use the ropes to his advantage. He repeatedly backed into the ropes to entice Davis to come forward, and it worked.

CRITICAL ROUND

The only problem for Mullings was that Davis got the better of the early exchanges. The fight was close all the way and at the end of six rounds, two scorecards had the fight even. This meant that the final round would be critical. It was also a close round, and came down to the last 30 seconds. Both men worked hard, despite being obviously tired, and kept the action going to the last bell, after which they both raised their hands as a sign of victory. Mullings did get the nod, but just barely.

Although he was disappointed, Davis managed to smile when he spoke with The Gleaner after the fight. He said that he was pleased with his performance, and hoped that it would have been enough for him to win.

“I really wanted to win and take the title this year, but it did not happen” he said. He confessed that he was not able to put in as much work as he would have liked, and thought that it was unfair for him to have been put into the first semi-final after fighting on June 21.

“It is what it is, however. I came out and gave him a good fight and it seems as if the spectators were happy. My job is to please the crowd and I think that I did that.

I am tired and need some rest now ” he ended.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/sports/20170707/mullings-edges-davis-after-exciting-contest