De Gannes hot stuff at CABA

BEFORE the 2004 Caribbean Amateur Boxing Association (CABA) Championships began Jules De Gannes was touted as the most promising boxer on the Trinidad and Tobago team and on the third day of the championships he showed why he deserved this billing. Standing opposite his Bajan opponent Matthew Robinson in the red corner De Gannes received the welcome afforded a national hero by his Trinidad and Tobago teammates standing on their piece of the Jean Pierre Sports Complex near ringside. Both boxers put in some good work in the first round of the night’s seventh fight on the night but De Gannes got down to business in the second round of the lightweight semi-final and put his opponent on the canvas to bring the noise out of a characteristically sparse crowd.

Even when Robinson became agitated and put his best foot forward in the ring, De Gannes kept at him and stuck it to him picking out key areas of his body and head to score shots through a flurry of hands. De Gannes continued to cope with Robinson’s aggression countering all the while with his own and after having to face a standing eight count in the third round, it was decided that De Gannes was the winner. The decision drew a cry from Kerston Manswell who spent most of the championships quietly in the stands but would soon be down to face his first opponent on the way to the final. In the first bout Hugh Springer of Trinidad and Tobago fell to Lequan Carlisle in the Super Heavyweight division semi-final due to an equipment malfunction.

Barbados’ Damien Sealy outclassed Chaddie Allert of Grenada in the super- heavyweight division semi-final, proving too strong for his opponent knocking him down in the first round. He continued his domination, forcing the referee to stop the bout. Shannon Robin of Dominica is the welterweight champion of CABA 2004 beating Linden Woods of Bermuda in the final.  The bout was stopped by the ringside doctor after Woods was cut in the mouth. And Eson Rose of Guyana broke the 10-year dominance of Barbadian Ricardo Blackman of Barbados in the bantamweight division, gaining a close points decision. Andrew Wallace beat Augustine Frederick of Dominica who had to retire because of a shoulder injury. In their lightweight semi-final Rayen Brete of Aruba decisioned Guyana’s Kofi Noble for a spot in the final.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Michael Springer outboxed Grenada’s Kennis Joseph to reach the final of the  light welterweight group on Saturday. Mervin Lantan of Dominica stopped Shawn Worrell in the third round of their welterweight bout to reach the final. He will face Grenada’s Taureno Johnson who beat Andrew Fermin of Trinidad and Tobago in the other semi-final. Pan Am and Commonwealth silver medallist Kerston Manswell sent Guyanese Mitchell Rogers sprawling on the canvas in the second round of their super-heavyweight semi-final to be counted out, after forcing him to take two standing eight counts in the opening stanza.

In other bouts, Markember Pierre (Guyana) beat Gilbert Vaz (Jamaica) in the middleweight semi-final, Barbados’ Anderson Emanuel whipped Sheldon Jules (Dominica) in the light heavyweight semi-final and Evan Nedd (Aruba) beat Gordon Ross (Guyana) in the same division. Today Tiana Sosa Saney the first woman to win a CABA gold medal will defend her title against Crystal Lessie (White Eagle Gym). Finals begin at the Jean Pierre Sports Complex at 5 pm. Admission is $20 adults and $10 children.