But controversy erupted in the main supporting bout. “Hometown decision.” That’s what some boxing buffs called the technical knockout referee Eion Jardine awarded “Deadly” Denny Dalton over Canadian-based Leon “Lion” Gilkes in the ninth of their ten round scrap.

Going into the fight with an eleven-lb weight advantage, the 121 lbs Ashley used her reach and superior skill to put in a truly world champion display. The courageous Alfred was no match for her.

One boxing buff said the woman champion was like “Mohamed Ali in skirt” as she used almost every shot in the book - jabs, hooks, uppercuts, straight punches - and dodged the overhands offered by Alfred.

Ashley sized up Alfred in the opening moments of the fight, covering up as Alfred offered shot to head, then began scoring to body and head at choice. From there it was Ashley on exhibition. In round three, she landed a wicked left cross and Alfred was counted. Alfred did get in an overhand right to head just before the bell.

In round four, Ashley continued landing vicious left hooks, but Alfred tagged her with an overhand right just before the bell, again. But after then, Ashley was in total command, displaying a colour repertoire of shots. In the eighth and final round, she pinned Alfred in her corner and could have put her away, but chose to have Alfred end the bout with dignity in the non-title catchweight encounter, a truly champion move.

Earlier, Caribbean Boxing Federation champion Dalton gained a TKO in 1:49 minutes in the ninth of the ten rounder against Gilkes.
The Canadian-based boxer’s trainer George Oprecht said: “I don’t feel the stoppage was fair. Gilkes was not hurt. That’s the way he fights. It’s his strategy.”

Gilkes said: “He got in four punches and the referee stopped the fight, in the ninth round? And he was not even seeing when I was being hit at the back of my head. But I’m coming back for his (Dalton) Caribbean belt. I had not fought for two years, yet he got a boxing lesson.”

Dalton came out warring in the ninth round and pinned a seemingly tired Gilkes in the neutral corner, but he was off target with most of his shots with Gilkes covering. Surprisingly the referee stepped in and signalled the end to the disbelief of those close to the ring apron where the action took place.

The Caribbean champion opened the bout with powerful left hook to temple and Gilkes hit the canvas. However, the exchanges were even for the rest of the round. A flurry of exchanges ensued in the second round, and Gilkes landed a telling solid right to head to take that round.

In round three, the power behind Gilkes shot became evident as Dalton dodged a right hook and Gilkes landed on his knees. Then Gilkes rushed Dalton to get in some solid shots to head.

From there, Gilkes stepped in with a right and followed it with a wicked left hook, for which Dalton had no answer for in the ensuing rounds. But in round six, Gilkes showed signs of tiredness and clinched after Dalton got in a solid straight right to head. The referee took away a point for holding.

But Gilkes replied in the seventh with an uppercut, followed with a solid left hook to head. Dalton got in an uppercut towards the closed. Then in the eighth, Gilkes started with a left hook and completed the attack with a combination to head. Dalton landed a right to head, Gilkes replied with left hook, then clinched on the bell, as Dalton slipped away and the seemingly spent Gilkes hit the ropes and mistakenly went to the neutral corner, not away the gong had sounded.

Earlier, former Olympian and National Welterweight champion Dillon Carew put in a classic display to gain a unanimous decision over a clueless “Classy” Cassius Matthews, rendering the welterweight eight rounder a lack luster affair.

The professional card began with debutants Lisma “The Rock” Da Silva and Sharon “Stone” Ward wowing the crowd in a catchweight encounter. The 228 lb “Rock” used her sheer weight and solid overhand rights to crush the 170 lb Stone for a unanimous decision.

In the amateur 65-69 lbs division, Dexter Jordan of Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) beat Kellon Peters of Carryl Boxing Gym (CBG) and Troy Billy (CBG) took care of Stefan Gouveia of Harpy Eagles (HE).

Clevon Parks (CBG) defeated Jamal Cozier (HE) in the first 75-79 lbs division encounter and Clive Atwell (Ricola) stopped Dillon Nassy (CBG) in round three of the second bout.