The return of professional boxing to the Nassau Stadium last Saturday was ample proof that there is a thirst for the sport. The Charlie Major Jr. card was not widely publicized and there were a few glitches that resulted in a late start.
Nevertheless, some 200 persons came out despite the threat of rain and it was an enjoyable evening of boxing. The amateur segment at the beginning was exciting. In the pro program, Anthony Woods and Kato Ferguson engaged in a spirited four-rounder. Then, Dencil Miller looked sharp in a clash with John Wesley. Miller packed too much power. He used a crushing left hook and on-target right hand shots to overpower Wesley in three rounds. The two lead bouts were more appealing than the main event.
Meacher Major had no problems at all with the veteran Cuban Alex Perez. The visiting boxer did not land one solid blow and spent much of his time covering from an aggressive Major. In round three when Major scored with a solid body blow, Perez dropped to a knee and took the count.
There was a sidelight incident, however, that added as much excitement as the actual ring action. Former Commonwealth Super Middleweight (168 pounds) Champion Jermaine Mackey and 9-0 up-and-coming light heavyweight (175 pounds) boxer Ryan McKenzie got into a verbal battle. They both declared an interest in fighting at any weight. McKenzie said he would come down to the super middleweight division.
Bulking up to a light heavyweight might be a stretch for the lanky Mackey but he could get to 170 or so and still be comfortable in the ring. It's a match ready to be made and Major Jr. seems quite interested. He was eagerly listening to the back-and-forth boastful statements. Thus, there is the prospect of a Mackey/McKenzie encounter.
Also, former double Commonwealth Bantamweight Champion Ray Minus Jr. is set to come out of retirement. He has not fought for 10 years, but the 47-year-old looked a bit smaller on Saturday as he worked the corner for some of his fighters and moved around giving a hand with the tightening of the ring ropes.
He is getting ready for Meacher Major. For Ray Minus Jr., the only obstacle is being declared medically fit and ready for ring action. The two challenges have sparked new enthusiasm for pro boxing. A Mackey/McKenzie bout will be a big encounter, a major sports happening. A Minus Jr./Major match will be just as highly anticipated.
The excitement has returned to pro boxing.
(To respond to this column, kindly contact Fred Sturrup at frobertsturrup@gmail.com)

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