SPORTSMAX and the Jamaica Boxing Board of Control (JBBC) have announced the return of international championship boxing to Jamaica with the staging of the WBA featherweight title fight, dubbed ‘Rumble on JamRock’.

The bout is slated to take place at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday, December 8, 2012.

The fight card sees Jamaica’s Nicholas ‘Axeman’ Walters, the WBA Fedelatin featherweight champion and No 1 contender, going up against Colombian Daulis Prescott, the No 5 contender, for the vacant WBA featherweight title.

The title became vacant after reigning WBA featherweight champion, Panamanian Celestino ‘Pelenchin’ Caballero, relinquished the belt due to a controversial situation involving his mandatory defence.

WBA executive vice-president Gilberto J Mendoza said: “Let’s respect Caballero’s decision and the doors of the WBA will always be open for Caballero.”

Following his only professional bout in Jamaica in June of last year against Mexican Argel Salinas, whom he floored in the second round for a TKO victory, Walters had expressed hopes of fighting for the world title at home.

Despite his disappointment his opponent will not be Caballero, it’s a dream come true for Walters, who boasts an impressive record of 21-0 with 17 KOs. Prescott has a 26-1 record with 19 KO record, which makes this fight potentially electrifying.

“This is a big deal and we want to make a big deal about this. We want to create Jamaica’s own version of Vegas,” said Oliver McIntosh, President and CEO of SportsMax.

With the WBA’S approval to host the world title fight in Jamaica, the JBBC teamed with experienced sports marketers and the leading sports broadcaster in the Caribbean, SportsMax, for promoting and broadcasting event.

Stephen Jones, head of the JBBC who was the driving force in getting the fight for Jamaica, sees the ‘Rumble on JamRock’ as the event that will showcase the talent of yet another son of the soil to the rest of the world while raising the country’s profile for boxing and major sports events.

“Working with SportsMax, the JBBC sees a great opportunity in promoting this historic bout on the worldwide stage, the first of its kind to be staged in Jamaica since the “Sunshine Showdown” between Joe Frazier and George Foreman in 1973,” he said.

The fact that the fight is a WBA title bout puts the event on the international sports radar, unlike any other that has taken place in boxing in Jamaica.

McIntosh believes ‘Rumble on JamRock’ will pull a record TV audience from all over the world to a Jamaican event and record spectator support. This is a promotion not only for the awesome Axe Man Walters, but for Jamaica.”