Fight card features battle of provincial champions

BY FRED LAWRENCE

The Hants Journal

NovaNewsNow.com

In a battle of Provincial Champions Saturday night before a standing-room-only audience at the Community Centre in Windsor, 2007 Canada Games Light Heavyweight Medalist Cameron Howatt of the Valley Boxing Academy outboxed 2007 Canada Games Middleweight Bronze Medalist Sonny MacLellan of Berwick.

Howatt, trailing after the second round, dominated the third with well-timed jabs and lead right-hands to earn the victory. Coach and organizer Chris Schofield said he was pleased with Howatt's performance.

"Cameron got off to a slow start, but I was very pleased with how he turned things around as the bout went on. He got smart and started using his longer reach, which helped him dominate by the third round. He's really starting to become a very smart boxer."

In the other headline bout on the card, Tyler Benjamin of the host Valley Boxing Academy lost through a razor thin 14-13 decision to Evangeline Trail boxer Josh Keddy of Kentville.

Keddy, who was behind on points entering the final round, rallied on the judges’ scorecards to earn the victory in the 147 lb. welterweight battle.

"I really didn't think the bout was that close,” Schofield said. "Tyler had him reeling in both rounds and I didn't agree at all with the decision. But hey; that’s okay with Tyler. He's already asking for a rematch as soon as possible."

Another bout saw Custio Clayton of the City of Lakes Boxing Club in Dartmouth out-slug Curtis White of the Tommy Gordon Boxing Club in Cape Breton. Clayton used superior hand speed to earn a points victory over the ever-charging White in a bout so intense it garnered trophies for Top Performance of the evening for both boxers.

Female boxers impress, too

Former boxing promoter Carry Ross attended the event and said he was impressed with the female pugilists that opened the evening.

“I think some of the guys could learn some lessons from these girls. There are some great female boxers here tonight,” he said.

Local trainer and promoter Lonnie States said he was equally impressed with the prowess exhibited by the female participants. “This is what boxing is all about. Some of the girls have to fight harder because people think, because they’re only girls, they can’t hit or fight very good, but they’re wrong. The girls are proving that tonight for sure,” he said.

Estimated attendance for the event was 300. Valley Boxing Academy’s next card is slated for Sunday, Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. at the Windsor Community Centre.

Complete card results were as follows:

108 lbs nbsp: Selene Best (Evangeline Trail) Exhibition Trina Robb (City of Lakes).

98 lbs: Erin Saulnier (Yarmouth) W Points – Teal Joyce (Trenton)

147 lbs: Michael Campbell (City of Lakes) W Points Adam Kryski (Sackville).

115 lbs: Christian MacDonald (Trenton) W Points Myles Haight (Evangeline Trail).

125 lbs: Phylicia O’Connell (Yarmouth) nbsp; W Points Beth Muir (Middleton).

112 lbs: Maddison Fraser (Yarmouth) W 1st Round Samantha Green (Trenton).

135 lbs: Joel Muise (City of Lakes) Exhibition Devon Spencer, (Cape Breton).

178 lbs: Cameron Howatt (Windsor) W Points Sonny MacLellan (Berwick).

165 lbs: Shane Upshaw (Windsor) Exhibition Viner (Kentville).

152 lbs: Custio Clayton (City of Lakes) W Points Curtis White (Cape Breton).

147 lbs: Josh Keddy (Kentville) W Points Tyler Benjamin (Windsor)