Category: BOXING

Wellington Miller Honoured

Monday, December 21, 2020

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BOC President Romell Knowles presents immediate past president Wellington Miller with a self portrait. Photo: Kevin Major Sr

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER spending the past three years as the immediate past president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee, Wellington Miller will take a sabbatical to enjoy some private family time.

#The retired Bahamas Customs Officer was honoured on Wednesday night at the Island House, Lyford Cay, for his tenure in office on the board of the highest sporting body in the country.

#After being elected in 2002 as a vice president, the former president of the Bahamas Amateur Boxing Federation was elected as the BOC president in 2008, serving for two consecutive four-year terms.

#Due to the constitution, Miller was unable to contest for a third term in office as Romell Knowles emerged as the new president in 2017.

#Miller said it has been a smooth transition and he was pleased with his tenure in office. “In this life, especially when you are alive, people don’t honour you. They wait until your life has passed to honour you with some substance,” Miller said. “But the Bahamas Olympic Committee did it with class for me and I hope it’s a standard that other sporting associations would follow, if they feel that particular president did a great job.”

#Miller, who was accompanied by his wife, Elizabeth, said it was a pity that the coronavirus pandemic didn’t allow the people to join in the celebration.

#While the event was limited to just their executive members, Knowles said as soon as the COVID- 19 restrictions have been released, the BOC will hold a banquet to honour the contributions of Miller.

#“His contribution to sports in the Bahamas, the region and the world is renowned,” Knowles said.

#“He single-handedly assured that the Bahamas won the bid to host the single largest event in our country’s history, that being the Commonwealth Youth Games. From those games, 100 athletes from around the Bahamas were able to represent their country. It’s the largest number of athletes ever assembled in our sporting history. The Bahamas went on to win a record 15 medals, again, the largest medal haul in international competition.”

#Knowles said Miller had a passion for developing small sporting bodies and that all Olympic sporting bodies, big or small, got their share due in the Bahamas.

#“He was also known for his passion and commitment to gender equality within the movement,” Knowles said.

#“He was passionate about the Women in Sports Commission and he dedicated his life work to gender equality and women in sports got their fair and just rewards.”

#In thanking Miller for his contribution, Knowles called him an “ambassador extraordinaire” as he carried out his duties at meetings around the world.

#“He was a man not that many words, but one full of passion for his country and the development of sports,” said Knowles, who will assume full responsibility for the role Miller played in his absence.

#“So while he’s on this sabbatical, we wish him well and we look forward to his continued advice and wise counsel and his representation locally and abroad when he returns.”

#As he takes a break from the day to day operation of the organisation, Miller said he intends to spend more time in North Andros where he hopes to focus on developing the Carl Oliver Track and the adjacent multiple purpose auditorium.

#“I haven’t had a private moment in my life for a long time because I was so committed to sports,” Miller said. “Oh, Andros. Here I come. I will be in my hometown where I hope to do reactive sports down there.”

#Miller thanked Knowles for allowing him to function on a daily basis in the office and affording him the opportunity to sit in all of their meetings, if he so desired.

#He noted that the officers all assured him that he can hold onto the key to his office as he’s welcome to come back and function in his capacity whenever he’s ready to do so.

#“I will always cherish those moments from the celebrations because so many good things were said about my leadership from the members,” Miller summed up.

Tureano Johnson Loses By Ko

Tureano Johnson. (File photo)

Tureano Johnson. (File photo)

By Renaldo Dorsett

Monday, November 2, 2020

#Jaime Munguia caught Tureano Johnson with a vicious uppercut that severely gashed the Bahamian middleweight’s upper lip and led to a doctor’s stoppage.

#Munguia retained the WBO Intercontinental title and was awarded a sixth round knockout win over Johnson in Friday night’s DAZN Boxing main event at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California.

#The Mexican title holder remained undefeated and improved to 36-0 with 28 KOs while Johnson fell to 21-3-2 with 15 KOs.

#Boxingscene.com’s live scorecard had the fight even at 57-57 through six rounds with Johnson winning rounds one, for, and five. DAZN Boxing scored the fight 58-56 in favour of Munguia.

#Johnson smothered Munguia and applied pressure early in the opening round. He continuously planted his shoulder into Munguia and connected with an array of punches, including an overhand right and several body shots.

#In round two, Munguia added the first of his series of uppercuts that would set the tone for the remainder of the fight as he adjusted to Johnson’s approach.

#Johnson continued to press forward and land short right hooks, but Munguia was able to create space with the uppercuts and land several shots on the move while backpedalling. Johnson’s aggression had the advantage for much of round three but Munguia counterpunched late with a series of uppercuts and left hooks.

#The fight continued in close quarters as a methodical gruelling pace favoured Johnson’s style, but Munguia’s punching power was on display and swelling was noticeable over Johnson’s left eye.

#In the sixth Munguia bagan to make Johnson back up for the first time all fight and threw his highest volume of punches. After a series of punches from Munguia highlighted by another uppercut, the referee stopped the fight and had a ringside doctor check on the gash opened on Johnson’s upper lip.

#Johnson, highly regarded as a tough fighter known for always moving forward into his opponents, applied pressure early on that caught the Mexican champion off guard. Mungia adjusted and started connecting with short, powerful right hands as he evaded Johnson’s advances.

#“In the first round I felt good but he did come out there and surprise me. I went to my corner and they told me to try to adjust. They also told me to keep my distance and not get too close so that’s what we tried to do,” Munguia said in the post fight interview.

#“Obviously Tureano Johnson is a very strong fighter so it bothered me a bit to have him on me early so we adjusted a bit with that plan. He’s a fighter that makes you very uncomfortable. We had to adjust everything.”

#Throwing the right uppercut early and often was the game plan to neutralise Johnson’s aggression.

#“We were working on that a lot. When we found out we would be fighting Tureano Johnson we started working on that even more.

#“I noticed that I could get him because when he would be coming forward he would lean a little bit so all I had to do was move a little bit to my right and throw the uppercut.

#“Once I cut him I saw it was only a matter of time. I was anxious for this fight, I learned a lot from this fight and I think I’m ready for a title shot at 160 pounds,” said Munguia.

#Other fights on the card were all decided by unanimous decision: Rashidi Ellis defeated Alexis Rocha (welterweight); Elwin Soto defeated Carlos Buitrago (junior flyweight) and in women’s boxing Marlen Esparza defeated Sulem Urbina (flyweight).

Tureano Johnson Loses By Ko

By Renaldo Dorsett

Sunday, November 1, 2020

#Jaime Munguia caught Tureano Johnson with a vicious uppercut that severely gashed the Bahamian middleweight’s upper lip and led to a doctor’s stoppage.

#Munguia retained the WBO Intercontinental title and was awarded a sixth round knockout win over Johnson in Friday night’s DAZN Boxing main event at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, California.

#The Mexican title holder remained undefeated and improved to 36-0 with 28 KOs while Johnson fell to 21-3-2 with 15 KOs.

#Boxingscene.com’s live scorecard had the fight even at 57-57 through six rounds with Johnson winning rounds one, for, and five. DAZN Boxing scored the fight 58-56 in favour of Munguia.

#Johnson smothered Munguia and applied pressure early in the opening round. He continuously planted his shoulder into Munguia and connected with an array of punches, including an overhand right and several body shots.

#In round two, Munguia added the first of his series of uppercuts that would set the tone for the remainder of the fight as he adjusted to Johnson’s approach.

#Johnson continued to press forward and land short right hooks, but Munguia was able to create space with the uppercuts and land several shots on the move while backpedalling. Johnson’s aggression had the advantage for much of round three but Munguia counterpunched late with a series of uppercuts and left hooks.

#The fight continued in close quarters as a methodical gruelling pace favoured Johnson’s style, but Munguia’s punching power was on display and swelling was noticeable over Johnson’s left eye.

#In the sixth Munguia bagan to make Johnson back up for the first time all fight and threw his highest volume of punches. After a series of punches from Munguia highlighted by another uppercut, the referee stopped the fight and had a ringside doctor check on the gash opened on Johnson’s upper lip.

#Johnson, highly regarded as a tough fighter known for always moving forward into his opponents, applied pressure early on that caught the Mexican champion off guard. Mungia adjusted and started connecting with short, powerful right hands as he evaded Johnson’s advances.

#“In the first round I felt good but he did come out there and surprise me. I went to my corner and they told me to try to adjust. They also told me to keep my distance and not get too close so that’s what we tried to do,” Munguia said in the post fight interview.

#“Obviously Tureano Johnson is a very strong fighter so it bothered me a bit to have him on me early so we adjusted a bit with that plan. He’s a fighter that makes you very uncomfortable. We had to adjust everything.”

#Throwing the right uppercut early and often was the game plan to neutralise Johnson’s aggression.

#“We were working on that a lot. When we found out we would be fighting Tureano Johnson we started working on that even more.

#“I noticed that I could get him because when he would be coming forward he would lean a little bit so all I had to do was move a little bit to my right and throw the uppercut.

#“Once I cut him I saw it was only a matter of time. I was anxious for this fight, I learned a lot from this fight and I think I’m ready for a title shot at 160 pounds,” said Munguia.

#Other fights on the card were all decided by unanimous decision: Rashidi Ellis defeated Alexis Rocha (welterweight); Elwin Soto defeated Carlos Buitrago (junior flyweight) and in women’s boxing Marlen Esparza defeated Sulem Urbina (flyweight).

Reno’ Johnson Happy Pro Boxing Is Back, Can’T Wait To Travel

As of Wednesday, June 17, 2020

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Tureano ‘Reno’ Johnson

#By BRENT STUBBS

#Senior Sports Reporter

#bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

#AFTER all of the problems he has experienced training here at home with the Bahamas Boxing Federation, Tureano ‘Reno’ Johnson said he’s glad that professional boxing is back and he can’t wait for the international borders to open so he can return either to Cuba or the United States to continue to prepare for a possible world title shot.

#Johnson, the reigning 36-year-old WBC-NABF middleweight champion, was scheduled to fight on April 4 in Moscow, Russia against Magomed Madiev, but that was called off due to COVID-19, which put a damper on sports around the world.

#Having returned home, Johnson was hoping to stay physically fit and in shape as his promoters from the Golden Boy DAZN continue to negotiate for the mandatory fight for a shot at the World Boxing Association (WBA) world middleweight title.

#“We have decided that since Russia is still on a lock down, we will go another route, but we are still waiting on word from the WBA if it is okay for us to still go to Russia or can we take another fight now and wait until we can take that fight in Russia,” Johnson said. “We are looking for another world champion Jamie Munguia, who is also a part of Golden Boys Promotions. Both of us are in the same club, so that fight should be easily made. Right now we are in deep talks to make that fight happen.”

#Madiev, a 25-year-old orthodox fighter, has a 14-0-1 win-loss-draw record, while Munguia, a 25-year-old Mexican, is 35-0-0 with 28 knockouts. Johnson, 36, is 21-2-1 with 15 knockouts.

#After months with the sport all but completely on pause because of the global coronavirus pandemic, boxing returned in Las Vegas last week with a show promoted by Top Rank on ESPN without any fans in the stands.

#That was good news to Johnson, who knew that the sport would eventually return.

#“We knew that the virus has hampered us for a while, but like Bahamians, boxers are resilient and so we knew it was just a matter of time that it would return,” Johnson said.

#However, Johnson said he was concerned about boxing here in the Bahamas before the pandemic hit in March. He said what transpired from then to now is evident of his claim.

#“The leadership in boxing has been one of the poorest and boxing is now at an all-time low,” Johnson said. “After the Prime Minister gave us the okay to train in the gym, I’ve had some difficulties using the national gymnasium. But after having to go through the National Sports Authority after the president Vincent Strachan put up so many restrictions on the use of the gym and the equipment, I have been granted permission.”

#When he’s not training at the National Boxing Gym, Johnson said he uses the facilities at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium where he can train in the gym and utilise the track.

#“I can’t make any excuses. I have to worry about getting the results,” Johnson stated. “I’m training as hard as I can. I have to find a way to train, but it’s uncomfortable under the conditions that I have to train in. It could have been better, but I’m not complaining. I see the results and so I’m going to press on each and every day that I go out there to train.”

#In a recent press release, Strachan levied some charges that indicated that because the facility and the equipment at the National Boxing Gym were not properly secured, a letter was posted that no professional boxers will be allowed to use the equipment without permission of the BBA and its president.

#Strachan said there is one punching bag in the gym that was donated by the NSA that Johnson is allowed to use, but he wants to protect the equipment they have on hand for the amateurs when they are allowed to train.

#He said after he was elected two years ago, he met the gym in a deplorable state with a leaky roof and very little equipment for the boxers to train with.

#After getting promises from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture to repair the facilities, Strachan said nothing has been done. He’s asking for the ministry to define the role of the BBF regarding the management and use of the stadium, which was turned over to them by former Minister, the late Charles Maynard.

#While there are too many issues to deal with over the use of the faculty, Johnson said he’s eager to catch the first flight out of town so that he can continue his training either in Cuba or the United States.

#“My next fight is a very good one because either I’m going to fight my opponent in his backyard in Russia or I have to take on another opponent in his backyard in Mexico,” Johnson pointed out.

#“So it’s not going to be easy. I’m training as hard as I could. I want to become the next Bahamian world champion and so I’m in dire need of getting in the best shape that I can without any interruptions.”

#On March 5, 2010, Johnson made a successful pro debut on March 5, 2010 against Cleoney Fuqua with a technical knockout after he enjoyed a long illustrious amateur career that ended with a trip to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China where he lost in the third round of the welterweight division to Kanat Islam of Kazakhstan.

#While he has yet to win any of the four major world titles (WBC, WBO, IBF or WBA, Johnson has won three minor titles.

#His first came on July 11, 2004 when he pulled off a 10 round unanimous decision over Mike Gavronski for the vacant WBC Continental of Americas middleweight crown at the Little Creek Casino Resort in Shelton, Washington.

#He went on to claim the WBC Silver and WBA international middleweight title in Madison Square Gardens, New York City, New York over Alex Theran on January 9, 2015.

#And in his last fight on July 18, 2019, Johnson earned the WBC-NABF middleweight title with a ninth round decision over Jason Quingley at the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California.