Ebanks survives tough test at Elite Fight Night 4

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 6 April 2017

Dariel Ebanks swings away in his split decision over Luis Hernandez of Panama.

Top amateur light heavyweight, Dariel Ebanks, put on a memorable show against a gritty Panamanian opponent in the main event of Elite Marble and Granite Fight Night 4 hosted by the Cayman Islands Boxing Association.

Ebanks won by unanimous decision over Luis Hernandez at Lions Centre on 1 April, 2017, despite not getting a chance to start slowly as he has grown accustomed to. As the opening bell sounded, Hernandez lunged at him and landed a straight right.

“I had my hand out to touch his glove and he came out with the right. I don’t blame him. He wanted to win and it was legal,” Ebanks said in the dressing room afterward. “I couldn’t feel him out. I had to go with him because he was throwing and throwing and throwing.”

Ebanks kept up the pace, countering well and landing multiple combinations throughout the first frame. The second round was much of the same with both fighters trading shots. In the third, the Panamanian worked the body and gave Ebanks as much as he could handle but the Fighting Pride of West Bay stood his ground and used his reach advantage whenever he could.

: Ebanks gets the decision

: Ebanks with Sports Minister Osbourne Bodden and Riddick Bowe.

“He started off strong and he finished strong, so I just did my best. I did what I could and I got the win,” Ebanks said, who fought in front of a crowd of around 250 people that included Sports Minister Osbourne Bodden and former undisputed world heavyweight champion Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe.

National team coach, Ryan Barrett, was full of praise for the southpaw, whose last fight was winning the gold medal at the Caribbean Boxing Development Tournament in Barbados last December.

“Dariel just showed again that he’s the best in the Caribbean. By far, he’s better than most fighters in the world. He’s beaten the guy from Panama, who they say is going to qualify for the World Championships,” Barrett said.

“Dariel is a tremendous fighter,” the coach added, pointing out that during his absence for a few weeks leading up to the bout, Ebanks has been training by himself. “So, you got to tip your hat to the young man.”

While Ebanks was victorious on the night, three other local boxers were on the wrong side of decisions against opponents from Panama.

Eduardo Montalvo stepped in on short notice – the day of the fight, to be precise – to replace Hopkin Ebanks in a light welterweight bout against Charlie Wilson. Montalvo, who originally hails from Cuba, had not been in the ring since a loss in Jamaica last November.

He found it tough going as he sought to penetrate the Panamanian’s defence, and while he was outperformed, Montalvo’s energy and bravery could not go unmentioned, though that was little consolation to him. “I’m very frustrated because I didn’t get to train for this fight. Anytime I fight for Cayman, I leave everything in the ring,” he told the audience after the bout.

: Chambria enjoys a moment with her mother, Charmane, after her fight.

: Referee Roland Gamez gives pre-fight instructions to Chambria.

West Bay’s Jason Parchment held his own through the first round of the welterweight bout against Abelardo Gonzalez in a welterweight affair but he took one too many heavy shots to the body that left him saying “No Mas!” He gave up a minute into the second round, but while referee Roland Gamez was making sure of his decision, the corner solidified this by throwing in the towel to confirm the TKO.

“I gave my corner the signal to end the fight because the stamina [wasn’t there], he said in a post-fight interview. “I felt like I was hitting hard but I was feeling it too because I was getting tired. I’m [badly] out of shape.”

Teenage female boxer Chambria Dalhouse had the fight of her life against Juan De Frias in a bantamweight bout. Both fighters opened at a frenetic pace, each looking to land the money shot and the crowd responded enthusiastically.

By the second round, the Panamanian found it easier to land her straight right but Dalhouse kept throwing. The third round started in similar fashion to the first, with both boxers throwing punches in bunches.

In the end, the judges ringside awarded the split decision to De Frias, who fell to her knees as the result was announced. It was her first fight outside her home country and was thankful to get the victory for Panama.

: Alexander Smith got a decision on home soil.

: Jason Parchment with father and trainer Nayon ‘Donie’ Anglin.

“Chambria carried on showing that she is the real deal and learning her trade tremendously. She showed something tonight that we have not seen in her previous fights, in that the girl was a bit better skilled and hit a little harder. She sucked up some good hard shots and kept firing back,” Barrett told CaymanSportsBuzz.com in the dressing room.

“Chambria has a tremendous future ahead of her in boxing. Tonight, she showed some true grit and determination. Sadly, for her, she got a loss but I think she just edged it with the work rate and the cleaner shots. Tonight, was a good learning experience for Cayman and Chambria,” the former pro boxer said.

Also on the card, top Panamanian female amateur Athena Byron won by unanimous decision in a battle of skill and grit against Myriam Da Silva of Canada. Earlier in the evening, Alexander Smith won a unanimous decision over young Aaron Miller in an exhibition; Neandra Forbes-Morgan also beat Brandy Barnes and Aldene Morgan beat Demyah Sankin in other exhibitions featuring novice boxers.