Bahamas Lands British Commonwealth Boxing Title
20 Years Since Last Bahamian Champ
This past weekend at the Sir Kendall Issacs Gymnasium in Nassau, Bahamas, Jermain 'Chu-Chu' Mackey (16-2-0) became the new British Commonwealth Super Middle Weight Boxing Champion. The Bahamian native went the full 12 rounds with Michael 'The Amazing' Gbenga (15-3-0) of Ghana to win by a unanimous decision. The all-Bahamian panel of judges scored the fight 115-113, 117-111, 118-113.
At the centre of the ring, surrounded by cameras and microphones, Mackey said, "It wasn't easy at all. I had to put-in plenty hard work. I had to go out there and really work for it. So I thank God. Thanks to all the sponsors, and I thank First Class Promotions for not giving up on me... Bahamas is number one!".
The match was a lot closer than the judges' scorecards reflected. The gashes and bruises on his face, along with a right eye that was swollen shut, was evidence that Mackey had withstood brutal punches to the head from his West African opponent.
The Gbenga seemed to have adopted Muhammad Ali's "rope-a-dope" strategy, allowing the bigger Mackey to throw a lot of punches, hoping the Bahamian and Caribbean Champion would tire-out in the latter rounds. Gbenga's game-plan proved effective, as the usually fit Mackey looked winded by the end of the 4th round. Back in the locker room after the fight, with doctors attending to a severe gash to his right eye-lid, The Ghana native spoke to the press in broken-english saying, "That's my strategy... As soon as I stepped into the ring I saw him coming at me. I knew he was going to come punching all the way. So I gave it to him - let him start punching... that would wear him out, and that is really what happened!" he explained.
Feeling the fight was poorly judged, Gbenga added in his comments to the press, "I know that I am in Bahamas - my opponents country, and on his home field. I felt I beat him - you saw it, so you judge for yourself, but they gave it to him. Fine! but here is my thing, let's get back into the ring for a rematch!
Despite their celebration of 'Chu-Chu' Mackey's win, some fans and members of the press vocally expressed views that supported Gbenga's argument. When the bell rang to end the fight, most of the crowd had already filed out of the gymnasium, while Gbenga bounced around the ring with both fist raised in victory. After the judges' scores were announced, and Mackey was named the winner some people responded, "huh!", as though confused by what they heard over the loud-speakers.
Judge Jeffery Davis explained what he and the other ring-side officials saw and based their decisions on. "Aesthetically it wasn't a pretty fight, but it was a great fight," Davis said. "Only two rounds were even. The earlier rounds 'Chu-Chu' carried, the latter rounds he (Gbenga) carried, but 'Chu-Chu' closed very strong. He (Gbenga) didn't throw as many punches you know... in a flurry some got in, some didn't get in. When he (Gbenga) was covering-up, 'Chu-Chu' was getting one or two in, and that was his strategy - but you gotta take the fight. When the fight is on the line, you have to take the fight. He didn't jab as much, and he didn't land body shots. 'Chu-Chu' landed some jabs, some body shots," Davis explained.
For the first four rounds, Mackey was more of the aggressor, and appeared to be dictating the pace of the fight. But Gbenga's defensive guard was tough to penetrate. Still the Bahamian and Caribbean champ managed to slip-in a few right jabs, and straight left punches to Gbenga's face and body. Mackey appeared sluggish though as the 4th round wound-down, and minutes into the 5th, the African still looked fresh. As Mackey started to let his guard down, Gbenga began landing some hard, straight right punches to his face. Blood drained down the right side of Mackey's forehead from a gash that Gbenga's punches had open-up. Like a shark stalking wounded prey, the African was now on the attack, with Mackey retreating. Before the end of the 5th the Bahamian champ was desperately trying to stay on his feet.
For the next two rounds Gbenga stayed on the attack, while Mackey appeared too tired to defend himself. Just before the 7th round ended Gbenga landed a variety of right punches, that backed Mackey up from the centre of the ring to the ropes. Gbenga moved in for the kill, and probably would've floored Mackey. But the bell was sounded, ending the round, with referee Matthew "Nippa" Nixon stepping between the fighters.
Appearing confident that he was in control in the 10th round, the West African started toying with Mackey, putting both of his hands behind his back and sticking out his chin, as if he dared Mackey to touch him. Regaining his wind, Mackey proved to Gbenga that his show-boating was a huge mistake. Rallying off cheers from the crowd in the 11th round, Mackey stunned Gbenga with an uppercut to the jaw, which sent the African stumbling to one of the neutral corners.
He tried to capitalize on the opening, but Mackey's punches weren't strong enough to bring Gbenga to his knees. The two boxers exchanged a number of blows for the rest of the fight, neither appearing strong enough to deliver the knockout punch. However, neither of them was giving-up either.
The final bell rang, the boxers retreated to their corners and waited for the judges to announce the winner. The victory was given to 'Chu-Chu' Mackey, the new British Commonwealth Super Middle Weight champ.
2008 is turning out to be the best year in boxing for The Commonwealth of the Bahamas in 20 years. Not only did they reclaim the British Commonwealth Title, but they also had a fighter qualify for the Olympics for the first time since the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
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