FIFTEEN-year-old Alesha Jackman handed defending champions, Guyana, its first gold medal at the 2019 Caribbean Boxing Championships with a win in the Young Women Novice 64kg category, on Saturday evening in Trinidad.
The Forgotten Youth Foundation boxer, who is arguably our most promising female boxer, was again a dominant force inside the ring.

After stopping Trinidadian Sharika Elias in her opening bout, the East Ruimveldt youngster was able to deliver a unanimous decision against Jamaican, Britney McFarlane.
Alesha displayed superior boxing skills in the fight and although she was not as dominant as in her previous encounters, she did deliver some decisive blows throughout the three rounds.

Even though she was aggressive in the opening round, it was not until round two that the southpaw stuck to her game plan and executed her one-twos (jab and left hand punches), which kept McFarlane, who had won gold last year in Guyana at the Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors boxing tournament, at bay.
The Central High School student then kept her composure to secure the third round and the contest.

One of the outstanding things about the boxing prodigy was her weight class rise. She entered the competition as a junior lightweight but because she did not have an opponent in her category, her coaches had to step her up to the Youth 64kg.

According to her coach, Sebert Blake, Alesha followed the game plan. “We told her to stick to the basic to get a clean jab and right hand off…she stuck to the game plan very well. At times she mixed it up with the uppercuts and hooks.”
Blake noted that the teen stayed away from the reach of her heavier opponent and he was impressed with her delivery.

Alesha’s older sister, Abiola, was also scheduled to fight on Saturday evening against Trinidadian Kinesha Clarke in the Women’s Novice 69kg final, but that bout was postponed to last night.

The other Guyanese in action on Saturday night was superheavyweight boxer Kevin Hunte, who lost his semi-final bout to Trinidadian Nigel Paul.
Team Guyana was set to battle in several finals last evening.