SAN FERNANDO, Trinidad (CMC) – Big Trinidad and Tobago heavyweight Kertson Manswell needed less than two rounds to whip American Cullen Rogers in their non-title heavyweight boxing match on Saturday night.

The undefeated Manswell, inactive for the past seven months, was clearly superior and referee Tommy Thomas stepped in a minute and 28 seconds into round two to save Rogers further punishment from the 248-1/2 pound local star.

Guyanese Joel McCrae and Dexter Gonzalez were also impressive winners on the five-fight card that saw all the bouts ending in knockout results at the Pleasantville Indoor Sports Complex.

Rogers, a last-minute replacement for Harvey Jolly, who was arrested in the USA for child support delinquency, was no match for the 32-year-old Manswell.

A winner of silver medals at the 2003 Pan-American Games and Commonwealth Games (2002) before turning pro in July 2004, Manswell hurt Rogers badly with body shots throughout the contest.

Rogers was cornered on the ropes taking head shots in the middle of round two when referee Thomas halted the bout.

The result improved Manswell’s record to 17-0 with 14 knockouts, while Rogers, who has now lost nine consecutive fights, slipped to nine wins against 24 losses and two draws.

McCrae posted one of the two Guyanese wins on the card by stopping Barbados-based Guyanese Michael Pittman at 2:59 of the second round of their middleweight bout.

Pittman was counted out after taking a head shot but local officials were unhappy with his effort and suggested he may never be allowed to box in T&T again because of utterances he made after the bout that suggested he never gave his best.

In an all-Guyanese light-welterweight match-up, Gonzalez looked efficient in stopping Michael Dover at 1:25 of the third round.

Trinidadians Floyd Trumpet and Wendell Jookoo also registered victories on the card.

Light-middleweight Trumpet defeated the ageing veteran Benjamin Modeste, stopping the Barbados-based St Lucian in a third-round knockout.

Jookoo toppled Barbadian Ricardo Kellman in a third-round stoppage after their entertaining cruiserweight battle.

Kellman recovered after being knocked through the ropes but dislocated his shoulder and was unable to continue. He was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital for treatment.