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'Axe Man' refuses to cut Jamaica ties
Published: Thursday | December 31, 2009
Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer
Jamaica's featherweight boxing champion Nicholas Walters poses with his World Boxing Association Latin belt (around waist), the Caribbean Boxing Association belt he won in 2006 (left) and the Long Island Ringside belt he won in 2007. - Ian Allen/[COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]Photographer[/COLOR][/COLOR]
Jamaica's ace featherweight boxer, Nicholas 'Axe Man' Walters, recently returned to the island with the World Boxing Association (WBA) FedeLatin belt, which he secured after scoring a unanimous decision over the Dominican Republic's Carlos Manuel Reyes at the Karibe [COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]Convention[/COLOR][/COLOR] Centre in Haiti.
The 23-year-old Walters, however, has found himself in some unexpected battles on his way to success.
Premium Boxing Promotions of Panama, the organisers of the fight, wanted Walters to wear a Panamanian outfit during his bout and for the Panama anthem to be played before the fight.
The 'Axe Man', however, objected to both and was eventually allowed to wear his Jamaican outfit, but there was still the issue of the anthem.
Panamanian anthem
With Walters residing in Panama and training there for over a year, his camp wanted the Panamanian anthem to be played.
Walters, nonetheless, stood firm and maintained that his homeland's anthem should be played.
His cause was helped when two Jamaicans, Keith Brown and Lincoln Brown, turned up at the venue and intervened.
"When I saw the two Jamaicans it was like I saw everybody in Jamaica, I felt so good because it was only Spanish people there, no Jamaicans," Walters said. "So I showed them the 'runnings' and they said alright they would see what they could do.
"They left and came back and said the anthem is going to be played. I said all right, I have already won; I got the suit, I got the anthem so the only thing left for me to get is the belt now," he added.
Victim of his nationality
'Axe Man' was a victim of his nationality from the pre-fight press conference. His opponent was trash-talking and Walters decided to start some talking of his own, but the organisers would not have it.
"They said he was carrying it to a next level, like it is a war thing. We, as Jamaicans, when we are talking, we use our hands and them ways and because they don't understand patois, they wanted to ease him off instead of letting him talk and he was not saying anything outside of boxing," said [COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]Job[/COLOR][/COLOR] 'Smoking Job' Walters, the 'Axe Man's' father and [COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]coach[/COLOR][/COLOR].
The Anchovy High past student, who hails from Roehampton, Montego Bay, got started in boxing at age seven.
"My attention was drawn to the world of boxing by my [COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]father[/COLOR][/COLOR]; I liked the way he skipped, he was a very good skipper. I saw him do a lot of styles with the skipping rope so I was interested in learning the styles and skills," Walters said.
Ring record
Walters, whose ring record currently stands at 13 wins and no losses with 10 knockouts, was very pleased with his performance in his latest title-winning fight.
"Everybody was thinking, can the 'Axe Man' go 11 rounds, because the 'Axe Man' was cutting down everybody within two and three rounds. Everybody was wondering if I am a knockout artist so when it went 11 rounds everybody was like, 'this is a true fighter'."
Walters, who was the deputy head boy at Anchovy High, champion boy for three consecutive years, captain of the cricket team and a member of the Science Quiz team, which won at both the junior and senior levels, is looking forward to fighting in Jamaica.
"I am here working on some sponsorships for the fight because the Jamaican people and the 'Axe Man' also need a fight in Jamaica. It might be the middle of next year (2010)," the 'Axe Man' said.
Published: Thursday | December 31, 2009
Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer
Jamaica's featherweight boxing champion Nicholas Walters poses with his World Boxing Association Latin belt (around waist), the Caribbean Boxing Association belt he won in 2006 (left) and the Long Island Ringside belt he won in 2007. - Ian Allen/[COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]Photographer[/COLOR][/COLOR]
Jamaica's ace featherweight boxer, Nicholas 'Axe Man' Walters, recently returned to the island with the World Boxing Association (WBA) FedeLatin belt, which he secured after scoring a unanimous decision over the Dominican Republic's Carlos Manuel Reyes at the Karibe [COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]Convention[/COLOR][/COLOR] Centre in Haiti.
The 23-year-old Walters, however, has found himself in some unexpected battles on his way to success.
Premium Boxing Promotions of Panama, the organisers of the fight, wanted Walters to wear a Panamanian outfit during his bout and for the Panama anthem to be played before the fight.
The 'Axe Man', however, objected to both and was eventually allowed to wear his Jamaican outfit, but there was still the issue of the anthem.
Panamanian anthem
With Walters residing in Panama and training there for over a year, his camp wanted the Panamanian anthem to be played.
Walters, nonetheless, stood firm and maintained that his homeland's anthem should be played.
His cause was helped when two Jamaicans, Keith Brown and Lincoln Brown, turned up at the venue and intervened.
"When I saw the two Jamaicans it was like I saw everybody in Jamaica, I felt so good because it was only Spanish people there, no Jamaicans," Walters said. "So I showed them the 'runnings' and they said alright they would see what they could do.
"They left and came back and said the anthem is going to be played. I said all right, I have already won; I got the suit, I got the anthem so the only thing left for me to get is the belt now," he added.
Victim of his nationality
'Axe Man' was a victim of his nationality from the pre-fight press conference. His opponent was trash-talking and Walters decided to start some talking of his own, but the organisers would not have it.
"They said he was carrying it to a next level, like it is a war thing. We, as Jamaicans, when we are talking, we use our hands and them ways and because they don't understand patois, they wanted to ease him off instead of letting him talk and he was not saying anything outside of boxing," said [COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]Job[/COLOR][/COLOR] 'Smoking Job' Walters, the 'Axe Man's' father and [COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]coach[/COLOR][/COLOR].
The Anchovy High past student, who hails from Roehampton, Montego Bay, got started in boxing at age seven.
"My attention was drawn to the world of boxing by my [COLOR=orange !important][COLOR=orange !important]father[/COLOR][/COLOR]; I liked the way he skipped, he was a very good skipper. I saw him do a lot of styles with the skipping rope so I was interested in learning the styles and skills," Walters said.
Ring record
Walters, whose ring record currently stands at 13 wins and no losses with 10 knockouts, was very pleased with his performance in his latest title-winning fight.
"Everybody was thinking, can the 'Axe Man' go 11 rounds, because the 'Axe Man' was cutting down everybody within two and three rounds. Everybody was wondering if I am a knockout artist so when it went 11 rounds everybody was like, 'this is a true fighter'."
Walters, who was the deputy head boy at Anchovy High, champion boy for three consecutive years, captain of the cricket team and a member of the Science Quiz team, which won at both the junior and senior levels, is looking forward to fighting in Jamaica.
"I am here working on some sponsorships for the fight because the Jamaican people and the 'Axe Man' also need a fight in Jamaica. It might be the middle of next year (2010)," the 'Axe Man' said.
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