This past Saturday, Ryan "Big Youth" McKenzie solidified his climb toward ring respectability by stopping Richard Starnino in Verona, New York, within two rounds. The Bahamian Light Heavyweight Champion disposed of Starnino, who at 9-5-2 before the bout, presented McKenzie with his most authentic foe to date.
Starnino was no match for the sturdy McKenzie. The referee stepped in at 2:15 of the second round to end the one-sided affair. McKenzie was declared the 'performer of the night' according to fellow Bahamian Meacher Major who was in attendance.
"I think he is going to be a force to reckon with," said Major quite simply.
No doubt, barring a drop-off in his conditioning, once he connects with handlers who have his interest at heart, McKenzie will definitely be our next big professional boxing campaigner. He is now officially 9-0 and seems to be a solid thinker. He is following the lead of Major, who broke away from local handlers in order to maximize his potential in the ring.
That mind-set is important. The swift decline of Jermain Mackey should serve as a lesson to McKenzie, Major and all of the other local pros. McKenzie is one of those fortunate ring competitors who have the right package. He has the height and is rugged. He can box when he needs to and he slugs quite effectively when the openings present themselves.
There is an interesting development in local professional boxing. Boxers are taking charge of their own careers. Mackey is doing it. He has now teamed up with former middleweight champion Elkeaner Saunders for his return to the ring, and hopefully for the remainder of a career that once looked so very promising.
Mackey still has a few years left in the game. The two years of rest from ring action might actually work in his favor. The decision to move in another management direction was one of the best he has made in his life. He had a lot going for him. If Mackey is just 85 percent of what he was, ahead is a few years of quality performances.
Major has been the thinker of the lot, that group that turned professional in 2004. He has gone on to win regional titles and advance himself in the world ratings. He is also positioning himself for the management circle once he retires. Major is establishing a lot of outside contacts and savvy in the business.
The Major and Mackey camps and the new perspective of McKenzie are refreshing developments in Bahamian professional boxing. The Bahamas Boxing Commission is loving it all, and as always, going to great lengths to assist those in the professional mix. I congratulate McKenzie on a win on foreign turf that ought to be very inspiring to him.
To respond to this column, kindly contact Fred Sturrup at fredericksturrup@gmail.com
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