VIVA LAS VEGAS
A team of Londoners head Stateside to Nevada for a once in a lifetime experience. Reggie Hagland recalls the adventure
LANSBURY ABC took a team of 10 boxers to Las Vegas for a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience in having the opportunity of training out of some of their best-known boxing gyms, the Mayweather Boxing Club and Johnny Tocco’s, with backing from promoter Mickey Helliet and Berkeley Homes Foundation. The team of boxers, coaches and officials spent a total of a week in Las Vegas and boxed the day before they all jetted off back home, August 11.
Ola Alausa of Double Jab ABC, one of four ‘guest’ boxers wearing a red with gold Lansbury vest, sealed the team match. He delivered a dominant performance against Johny Bailon (Las Vegas). The South London light-heavyweight landed strong shots which might have stopped his opponent. Alausa was clearly enjoying the occasion and left no doubt about who the winner.
This contest was later voted the ‘Best Bout of the Day’ and named in tribute to the late Jimmy Oliver (Finchley ABC coach) who originally set up the trips to Las Vegas over 20 years ago and took over 300 amateur boxers to Las Vegas alongside his brother and former Finchley coach, John Oliver. Anthony Joshua, George Groves, James Degale and Darren Barker are some of the notable boxers who enjoyed the experience of competing in Las Vegas as amateurs. John Oliver was at ringside alongside his partner Carol and presented the prizes to Alausa and Bailon at the end of the show.
Connor Daly (Islington Boxing Club, 52kgs, age 18) was another boxer guesting for Lansbury ABC. He started off aggressively against
Oscar Juarez (Las Vegas). He won the opening round, however Juarez came back much stronger in the second round and put Daly on his backfoot. The third and final round could have gone either way, but Juarez won on points.
Amo Khayer (Lansbury ABC, age 15, 50kgs) got involved in a brawl with Nathan Martinez (Las Vegas). Martinez won on points. James Fearnley (Lansbury ABC, age 13, 50kgs) fought to his potential. He gave his opponent Fabian Montalvo (Las Vegas) two standing eight counts in the opening round and at times he looked as though he could stop the Nevada boxer. It was no surprise that Fearnley was announced the winner at the end of the contest.
The first of three boxers making their amateur debuts on the show was Massie Callaghan (Lansbury ABC, age 15, 54kgs) in one of the most entertaining bouts of the day. Callaghan and Alexis Mosquera (Las Vegas) fought hard in this toeto-toe encounter with Mosquera taking the first round whilst Massie won the second and the all-important third round. Massie was delighted with her first victory, nearly jumping to the celling with her reaction!
Jahed Choudhury (Lansbury ABC, 56kgs, age 17) is steadily improving at the Poplar based club.
Fernando Estrada (Las Vegas) won the opening round, however Choudhury claimed the second and third rounds to win on points. Another very memorable debut.
Yasin Akhamnichl (Lansbury ABC, 65kgs, age 16), the last of the three boxers competing for the first time, lost in a close contest. He started off well against Oscar Juarez (Las Vegas) landing the cleaner punches in the opening round. With his guard low, Yasin started to get caught. He showed a lot of heart but lost on points in a close contest.
Muhammed Hasnan Ali
(East London BA, 71kgs, age 15), another of the ‘guest’ boxers wearing a Lansbury vest, dominated all three rounds, landing big blows on opponent Edwin Rangel (Las Vegas) and often opting to keep his hands low. Ali won on points.
The final London vs Las Vegas select team match contest of the day was cruiserweight Jack Daly
(East London BA) defeating Aiseah Acheson (Las Vegas) in a clash of styles. Daly won on points.
The final score in the team match was 6-3 to the Londoners.
There was disappointment for heavyweight Marius Bilvovas (Lansbury ABC) who was originally meant to also box on the show, but his contest fell through at short notice and he was unable to compete.