Sinnette no match for Vegas

A composed African boxing champion Joey Vegas floored T&T’s Kirt Sinnette in the fourth round to claim the World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight International title, at the Woodbrook Youth Facility, on Sunday night. The flush right hook complemented a patient display from the Ugandan, who allowed Sinnette lots of room to attack during the first three rounds. However, the local lad failed to take advantage and found himself on the receiving end for most of the fight. Sinnette regularly left his frame open after using a right jab, and Vegas capitalised on this by knocking Sinnette to the floor on several occasions. Referee Ian Jardine eventually stopped the fight during the fourth round with Sinnette losing the battle by a knockout. Vegas said afterwards that the fight was a good one. “I promised my people that I would take this fight and I would return with the belt. I have done it. He (Sinnette) has experience.

He can fight, but I used my experience to defeat him. Now I go back home to Uganda to show my people this belt. I will sleep and think about boxing in two weeks,” said Vegas. Vegas said he was familiar with Sinnette’s style of boxing: “I have been watching videos of him. I came with a plan in my head. Most of the time when you come across a tall fighter you need to be close to him.” Vegas described Sinnette on the night as too slow: “I had to time him and get under him with a jab.” While Sinnette fell, it was a welcome return for Ria Ramnarine, who made her comeback in style, after more than a yearlong absence, with a split decision over Guyana’s Stephanie George. It was Ramnarine’s second whipping of the Guyanese. Two of the judges scored the fight for Ramnarine while a third had it as a draw. Ramnarine expressed fulfillment with her victorious return. “It felt really good. (However), I was a bit nervous and cautions at first. “After the third round, I got my game going and felt more comfortable and had a good fight (in)to the sixth round.”

In another prime fight on the evening, local boxer 27-year-old Prince Lee Isidore continued his impressive record at the expense of Guyana’s Cassius Matthews. The eight-round fight ended in two minutes, 46 seconds, into the first round by means of another straightforward knockout. Matthews, who was more versatile in his youth evaded some of Isidore’s punches but failed in his attack. Isidore, with a low hook to the jaw and a return jab across the face, said “goodnight and goodbye” to Mathews, with less than an eight of the match completed. Isidore has a record of ten wins, one loss and one draw. All of his last nine fights have lasted for one round with his opponents being knocked out. The first professional fight saw Jamilla Jones challenging Tiana Sosa Saney in a close exchange within its first two round. Jones eventually gained control in the third round and was awarded the victory via unanimous decision. One of the night’s highlights, however, was the mixed martial arts (MMA) contest between local star Dwayne Hinds and Canadian Scott Hutchinson, with the former coming away with his first ever win by means of a knockout.

Hinds, who has been T&T’s dominant force in the discipline in recent times, won the match in two minutes, 31 seconds. After dominating Hutchinson on the floor in a grappling manoeuvre for over a minute, Hinds landed a series of right hooks to the Canadian’s face which left him dazed and confused when he eventually got to his feet and the referee intervened. At the conclusion of the card, promoter Giovanni Potts insisted that the night was a success and thanked the corporate sponsors for their assistance: “This was a success. The facility was packed with people. We got the support from corporate sponsors to come on board (and) they were very pleased by what they saw. I am at a stage right now where all is well. We (Unified Boxing Promoters) are looking to positive things in boxing.” He continued, “This wasn’t Sinnette’s night. These thing happen in boxing. He didn’t show up, while Joey Vegas came out on top... But I protect all my fighters and the interest of T&T, and there is a rematch.”