The eighth staging of the annual Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum Contender Boxing Series was launched at the Wray and Nephew corporate offices in New Kingston on Wednesday evening with with a special angle.

This year’s series will open with former Contender winner Kemahl “Hitman” Russell opening the defence of his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) title against Mexican Jorge “Michi” Munoz at the National Arena tonight beginning at 7:00 pm.

Gates open at 6:00 pm.

Russell, who won the Contender Series Middleweight title some three seasons ago by defeating Richard “Frog” Holmes, has since moved on to win the NABF title after defeating American Ian Green at the Resorts World Casino in Queens, New York, USA, last year. This was after he moved overseas to join up with the Evander Holyfield Real Deal Camp.

Russell’s title defence will serve as a sweet opening salvo to launch the contender series in association with the Evander Holyfield Real Deal Uprising promotion.

Russell announced his readiness in no uncertain terms.

“I feel good about the fight, I feel ready. I’ve been ready from last month, before the fight was pushed back, and this month I’m even more ready because I got more time to prepare for the fight, so I’m definitely in one of the best shapes I’ve been in a while; and, yea, it’s showtime,” he said.

Russell made it clear he is taking aim at making a knockdown.

“Normally I wouldn’t give a prediction, but for this fight I think ‘Michi’ is the perfect match. I’m not putting anything past him, but I think this fight will be stopped in one of the rounds,” he said.

The event is expected to heighten the interest & take the yearly Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum Contender Series to new heights so that Jamaican boxing enthusiasts of all walks of life and Contender followers will be greeted to this year’s opening production with the Russell/Munoz clash.

For this, a stellar cast of fighters on the eight-fight card will be featured, inclusive of a female bout on the under card. Topping the under card is “Mr Cool” himself Sakima Mullings, a two-time Contender winner and current defending champion. He will be up against Guyanese fighter Edmund Declou in a Super Welterweight clash over eight rounds.

Tsetsi “Lights Out” Davis will go up against Canadian Christopher Pearson over six rounds in one of three middleweight contests with Deandre Ware up against Guyanese Kwesi Jones completing the middleweight fiesta. The highly anticipated female clash will see Italian Federica Bianco up against Guyana’s Rewinna Davis in a bantamweight contest, while the battle in the small men’s class is expected to also rage between Lawrence Newton and Rudolph Hedges in another bantam weight clash.

— Hurbun Williams