Contender Challengers Seek Berth In Quarters

Leroy Brown, Gleaner Writer

The first half of the Wray & Nephew Contender boxing series will end tonight with Christopher Powell from the Yellow Team and Dwayne Rose from the Green Team seeking a spot in the quarter-finals which start next week.

They will do battle over six rounds at the Chinese Benevolent Association auditorium. The programme starts at 8:30 p.m. and the main bout will be televised on TVJ at 9:30.

The series is promoted by MJK Productions, sponsored by J. Wray & Nephew, Foska Oats and TVJ, and is sanctioned by the Jamaica Boxing Board. Competition started eight weeks ago with 16 boxers and seven have already qualified.

Tonight's main bout should be a close fight as both boxers are making their professional debut.

Favourite

Powell had the more impressive amateur career, so he goes in as the favourite, but because he lost two weeks of training due to an injury that he sustained the second week of competition there is a question mark around him. However, he said yesterday that he is fit and ready and is anxious to get into the ring tonight.

Following tonight's competition, four of the eight boxers remaining will be seeded and they will do a public draw to see who they will fight next among the other four contestants. A draw will also be done to decide when each of them will fight.

There will then be a one-week break, after which the semi-finals - over eight rounds - will take place. There will be one more break before the finals over 10 rounds.

The winner will be crowned Wray & Nephew Welterweight Contender 2012 and take home one million dollars; second place $500,000; third $250,000, and fourth $200,000.