MONTEGO BAY, St James — Sakima Mulling’s professional boxing debut has been put on hold after his opponent, Glenroy ‘Bumpy’ Beckford of Hard Knocks Gym in Westmoreland, failed to show for Saturday’s weight-in and medical inspection prior to the fight later that night at Pier One in the second city.

The bout was supposed to be the feature on the seven-fight card which included two professional fights, but the 17-year-old Mullings must now wait to get his chance as a professional.

Mullings told the Observer he was “disappointed, very disappointed. I was looking forward… I put in a lot of work for the fight, mentally and physically; all the preparations were there and I’m just disappointed that the fight did not happen”.

The local amateur welterweight champion who fights out of Bruising Gym, also expressed his disappointment for the fans who came out, as well as for the promoters.

“I feel bad for the fans that came out and I feel bad for the promoters and everybody else who put a lot of work into putting this whole thing together,” he said.

There was no definite word on when Mullings will get back into the ring, but he said the plan was to go back to working out.

“We’ll just to go back to the gym and keep the level of fitness where it’s at,” he said, adding that the wait might not be too long.

“We’re currently discussing with my handlers about an up and coming card in Stony Hill, nothing definite yet.”

Meanwhile Robin Russell, who was making his debut as a fight promoter, said perhaps Beckford did not want to face a better fighter as efforts were made to get Beckford to the weigh-in.

“It just seems Sakima is too good for them. Beckford was supposed to come for the weigh-in at 10:00 am but did not show up. We heard he was coming in at 1:00 pm and we waited until 4:00 pm and then his phone was turned off,” he explained.

Russell had mixed feelings about the venture but remained upbeat about the future.

“For the first time I think everything is going OK. I am a little bit disappointed in the turnout, but it’s still a good crowd and the people here are enjoying themselves.”

He said he hoped those who came would spread the word.

Meanwhile, the other professional fight ended in an anti-climax as Lloyd Smith, a gym-mate of Beckford’s, threw in the towel after the third of six rounds against the veteran Anthony Osbourne of Old Harbour in a super middleweight contest, claiming that spicy food he ate earlier in the day was affecting him.

Smith, who trailed on all three judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage, said he had eaten curried food earlier in the day and each time he got hit in the stomach, it affected him.

Despite what appeared an easy fight for the 35-year-old Osbourne, who improved his record to 17 wins from 27 fights, Smith was asking for a rematch, saying he only needed two weeks to be ready.

“This was an easy fight; he’s a simple guy and I did not know it would be that easy,” he told reporters afterwards.

And it was left to the five amateur bouts to entertain the small but vocal crowd and at least three provided some excitement.

Despite being knocked down in the first of the four rounds in their light welterweight fight, Adrian Mathews of Stanley Couch Gym was a surprise winner over Hard Knock’s Kevin Hylton in one of the more exciting bouts.

Mathews recovered to stagger Hylton in the third round, but the decision was met with disbelief and boos.

Hard Knocks’ Ramel Lewis had a close decision over Oraine Walters of Job Walters Gym in the welterweight division in a fight between two western-based bloxers who traded punches from the opening bell.

Earlier in the event, teenager Oshane Creary of Heavy Metal outpointed Shaquille Linton of Stanley Couch in a novice featherweight contest.

Fana Walker of Stanley Couch outclassed Cleon Phillips of Job Walters Gym in a lightweight contest, while Kenardo Brown of Heavy Metal lost for the first time in the welterweight division, beaten by Bruising Gym’s Michael Gardener.