The Stanley Couch Gym in Parade Gardens pulsed with raw energy and raucous cheers on Saturday night as fists flew, hearts pounded, and national pride clashed with international grit at the Gloves Over Guns Futures Fight Night.
In a thrilling seven-bout showcase, fighters from Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and the United Kingdom brought the crowd to its feet, delivering a spectacle of passion, precision, and perseverance.
Foreign boxers featured in five of the seven match-ups, earning three wins against the Jamaicans’ four. Yet, the true victory was shared — by the sport, by the community, and by the visionaries behind this powerful initiative.
Epic clashes, memorable moments
The highlight of the night came in the fifth bout, where light heavyweight Sadeki Harris of GC Foster College faced off against the UK’s Riley Galvin. Though Galvin entered with purpose, Harris wasted no time imposing his will. Midway through the second round, a barrage of unanswered punches forced referee Duane Wilson to stop the fight at 2:52, awarding Harris a commanding technical victory.
But Galvin, unfazed and upbeat, turned the post-fight moment into a celebration.
“The fight was unique for me. I have had only two fights. It’s been two years since my last fight so I wanted to challenge myself coming to Jamaica,” said Galvin. “It’s so hot in this country, but it’s unreal, it’s really amazing. I have enjoyed every second of it. I don’t care about the result — what I care is I’m here in Jamaica having a good time. Congratulations to my opponent. It was a great fight. I had fun.”
The crowd roared its approval as Galvin danced across the ring, a symbol of sportsmanship and cross-cultural camaraderie.
Foreign force vs local power
In the all-foreign clash, Isaiah Hurslton of the Cayman Islands utilized his long reach to outpoint the UK’s Shahram Kalid in a bout that went the distance. Kalid favored punishing body shots, but Hurslton’s stamina held up long enough to earn a unanimous decision.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Kashieve Nelson of Suga Olympic Gym proved too much for Cayman’s Jolan Hobson, who was visibly slowed by a second-round nosebleed. In the third, Nelson’s relentless attack prompted Hobson’s corner to throw in the towel with just 10 seconds left. Nelson’s triumphant roar was one of the night’s loudest.
Another Cayman fighter, Demar Robinson, opened the evening with a steady performance over Kevin Campbell of Fight for Peace, securing a unanimous decision in the middleweight bout.
In the final international clash, Anthony Chaney of the UK edged Joe-var Hunt of GC Foster in a tough lightweight contest where both fighters gave as good as they got. Chaney’s superior conditioning may have tipped the scales in the judges’ eyes.
Jamaican resilience on display
Local pride surged in the all-Jamaican bouts. Taffarel Cayman of Suga Olympic Gym overpowered Montego Bay’s Howard Robinson, who appeared off-balance from the opening bell. Referee Anthony McNeish halted the contest just 1:43 into round two, with Robinson holding the ropes for balance.
In the final showdown, the Jamaica Defence Force’s Christopher Pinnock delivered a textbook performance against Tevoy Barrett of Suga Olympic. Cutting off the ring with precision and denying Barrett space, Pinnock’s pressure overwhelmed his opponent, who began to vomit mid-bout. Referee Kevin Stupart was forced to stop the contest at 1:48 in the second round.
“I put in a lot of hard work into this, not to mention my coach,” said Pinnock.
“My dedicated coach gave me a lot of bag drills, sprints, hard work, sparring. It was very hectic, so I worked really hard for this fight.”
Leadership and vision ringside
The atmosphere was electric, with a passionate audience and key dignitaries in attendance, including PanAm Boxing Confederation President Elise Seignolle, JOA President Chris Samuda, and JHTA President Kevin Russell.
Seignolle was full of praise: “I am actually very, very impressed by tonight’s fight night. The level of the kids was pretty impressive. They were novices — for some of them — and you wouldn’t realize that. A lot of poise, a lot of control, technically sound, and at the same time a lot of heart. That’s what struck me the most — so much heart from every fighter that stepped into the ring.”
Samuda reaffirmed the Jamaica Olympic Association’s $5 million commitment to the sport: “Jamaica Olympic Association is here to stay with our boxers. We see the future is bright. Let us make it even brighter, but we have to be very strategic — in terms of investment in the human capital and the infrastructure — and that is what we are pursuing.”
As the curtain fell on another inspiring night of the Gloves Over Guns initiative, it was clear: this wasn’t just about boxing. It was about discipline, opportunity, and transformation — one punch at a time.
