Local fighters taste defeat

Hassette was defeated by Jamaica’s Ricardo Smith in a key four-bout contest to end his chance of securing a place in the Pan Am Games which is scheduled for Rio de Janiero, Brazil in July.

Hassette, the lanky Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force boxer tipped to be a certain participant at the Pan Am Games suffered a shocking 19-11 defeat.

Smith also got the better of Hassette when they met at last year’s Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association Championship at the same venue.

Hassette seemed to have been pinned down for most of the allotted four rounds as Smith scored points at will with his left jabbs.

The local boxer found himself trailing after the first two rounds but despite his attempt to recover, Smith kept him at bay with his effective jabbs.

The talented Jamaican will now move on to face Tuereano Johnson of the Bahamas in one of 20 fights today.

Johnson scored the only knockout of the competition when he sent Canadian Adam Trupish to the canvas after only one minute, 50 seconds in the first round. The Bahamian’s powerful right punch caught Trupish on the chin and sent him staggering to the floor.

Trupish had to be given treatment to revive from the stunning blow.

Hassette was one of three local fighters failing to advance passed the early stage of the Pan Am qualifiers.

The others were heavyweight Denzil Salazar and lightweight Jules De Gannes.

Salazar had only himself to blame as he went down to Marcelo Ponce of Argentina by one point 20-19. De Gannes was a mismatch in the other contest, thrashed by another Argentinian Luis Rueda by an embarassing 28-3 score.

In this contest the referee was called upon to stop the fight with De Gannes trailing by the ridiculous scoreline (28-3) in the fourth and final round.

Salazar on the other hand had a much more realistic chance of a victory but faded in the final round.

The scores had been close for both fighters entering the fourth round when Ponce turned on a moment of heat to earn the win.

Jamaica, unlike Trinidad and Tobago, collected another victory during the night of competition with Gerrington Richards advancing at the expense of Dominican Lestes Brazil.

Again the referee was called upon to bring the fight to a premature end when the agressive Richards left his opponent defenceless.

Meanwhile Eliecer Gonzalaz of Puerto Rico recorded the highest punch statistic of the tournament thus far landing 45 shots in his victory.

He defeated Colombian Ronald Montes 45-26 and excited the crowd. Grenada picked up their first win in the competition when Jewel Lewis got the better of Guyana’s Aubrey Moore 7-6 in a lightweight contest.

And John Jackson of the US Virgin Islands (USVI) showed he will be a difficult contender in the junior-welterweight category when he whipped Mervin Lantan of Dominica.

The talented Jackson had a clear-cut victory over Lantan with a display of combination shots to the head and body regularly.

The finals of the different categories will take place today.

Results:

(60kg); Jewel Lewis (Gre) bt Aubrey Moore (Guy) pts 7-6.

Luis Rineda (Arg) bt Jules de Gannes (TT) RSC 4th Round.

Noel Lopez (Mex) bt Valentino Knowles (Bah) pts 27-4.

(69kg): John Jackson (ISV) bt Mervin Lantan (DMA) RSC 3rd round.

Eliecer Gonzalez (Pur) bt Ronald Montes (Col) pts 45-26.

Ricardo Smith (Jam) bt Aaron Hassette (TT) PTS 19-11.

Tureano Johjnson (Bah) bt Adam Trupish (Can) 1st Rd KO 1:50 secs.

(91kg): Julio Deivis (Col) bt Ismael mMendonza (NCA) 21-9.

Gerrington Richards (Jam) bt Lestes Brazil (DMA) RSC 3rd round.

Jorge Quinones (Ecu) bt Evan Nedd (Aru) 27-8; Marcelo Ponce (Arg) bt Denzil Salazar (TT) 20-19.

Today’s Scuedule:

(1:00 PM): 57kg- Henry Maldonado (NCA) V Lucas Navarro (Arg); Ryan Jeffers (Jam) v William Urina (Col); Orlando Perez (NCA) v Jesus Cuellar (Arg).

(64kg): Hugh Meonaar (ISV) v Eduardo Mendonza (NCA); Shawn Wheatle (Jam) v Luis Grejeda (Mex).

(75kg):Wilky Compfort (Hai) v Oscar Rivera (ESA); Carlos Gongora (Ecu) v Andrew Fermin (TT).

(91kg):Julis Deivis (Col) v Gerrington Richards (Jam); Jorge Quintones (Ecu) v Marcelo Ponce (Arg).

(6:00PM): 54kg- Clive Atwell (Guy) v Klevon de Noon (TT); Isho Shiba (Can) v Maximiliano Marquez (Arg).

(60kg): Franz Manani (Bol) v Jewel Lewis (Gre); Luis Rueda (Arg) v Noel Lopez (Mex).

(69kg): Mervin Lantan (DMA) v Eliecer Gonzalez (Pur); Ricardo Smith (Jam) v Tureano Johnson (Bah).

(81kg): Felix Valera (Dom) v Glenn Hunter (Can); Wualfredo Rivero (Ven) v Patricio Pillo (Arg).

(91+ kg): Gerardo Bisbal (Pur) v Lequan Carlisle (DMA); Enoch Romero (TT) v Emmanuel Augustama (Hai).