Donovan "The Real Prince" Ruddock Jr
At 34 years old Donovan “The real prince” Ruddock Jr, has achieved his main goal of launching a professional boxing career.
But the son of iconic two-time Jamaican-Canadian heavyweight champion Donovan "Razor" Ruddock is determined to soar even higher and out of the shadow of his famous father.
Unlike his father, who turned pro at age 19, Ruddock Jr is off to a late start, but he remains undeterred by criticisms that may come about his age, and is instead focused on the prospects of what can be achieved, provided he gets the proper backing.
“I am trying to walk my own path, I am trying to do my own thing and create my own identity. Many times people hear the name they label me as my dad, but I want to create my own history and not live in his shadow," Ruddock Jr declared.
“My career just started because I didn’t really get support like that, so it was kind of rough to get going because everybody was busy doing their own thing and then the family finally came together to make it happen. So it is just about moving forward from here to find my own success,” he told SportsMax.TV.
Though admitting that he doesn’t pack the power of his father, who is ranked on The Ring magazine's "100 Greatest Punchers of All-Time" list, Ruddock Jr believes he possesses more style and flair which he paraded during his debut professional bout against Jazeer Heron at the ‘Rumble in the Sun’ boxing showcase at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday night.
With that bout ending in a draw, Ruddock Jr knows he has much more work to do if he intends to get anywhere close to, or even surpass his father’s record of 47 professional fights, including 40 wins, six losses and one draw, achieved in a dazzling 20-year career.
Even “Razor” Ruddock’s amateur run was lined with historic wins over Lennox Lewis, and show-stopping victories over Ken Lakustra, James "Bonecrusher" Smith, Greg Page and Mike Dokes.
For Ruddock Jr, his amateur record was 12 fights, including seven wins and five losses, and he also won the Golden Glove Novice title in Florida.
“I honestly don’t believe I have the same power as him (my dad) but I believe I have a better boxing style. If I get some full training camps to put in some serious work, I feel like I can put on amazing shows, I feel like I can put on some of the best fights because I am kind of an aggressive fighter and I really do push for action,” Ruddock Jr shared.
“I feel like I just need to calm down a little bit and just let things come to me. It is every boxer’s dream to win a title, but we all have to start small. There are a lot of things that I want to do, but it takes time and a lot of hard work," he acknowledged.
Reflecting on his first professional bout, the South Carolina-based boxer rued the fact that his first time in Jamaica and, by extension first fight, was ruled a stalemate, as he believes he was more efficient in his execution.
“It feels good to have my first professional fight in Jamaica but I feel it was just a biased decision because of my last name and my relationship with my father, I believe is why they didn’t want to give it (the win) to me. I kind of did come in a little boasy but that’s just my character and showmanship I believe is what sells tickets,” Ruddock Jr reasoned.
“I felt like I beat him to the jab, I landed more effective right hand punches, so just the mere fact that I was the ring general and I got some body shots in which he didn’t, meant I won the fight. But hopefully I can come back another time for a rematch,” he noted.
Finally, Ruddock Jr, who now fights in the welterweight category, pointed out that his ambition is to drop down to the lightweight division and work his way up.
“I would rather fight the lightweight because I feel like I can win a belt there and then move up and when another belt at the welterweight. That would look good on my resume being a champion in two weight division and that’s my dream,” the approachable boxer stated.
“But it is going to take a lot of hard work, I’ve taken the lessons from this experience and so I’ll just go back home, get my stuff together and see where we go from here,” Ruddock Jr ended.
Sherdon Cowan is a five-time award-winning journalist with 10 years' experience covering sports.
Jerone Ennis impresses in professional debut with first-round knockout
Jamaican boxer Jerone "Beast" Ennis made a memorable transition from amateur standout to professional prospect with a commanding victory in his debut fight on Saturday night at the Pickering Casino Resort. Ennis, a two-time Caribbean Amateur Champion, showcased his skills and promise by knocking out his Argentinian opponent Marcelo Adrian Fernandez (4-3-1) at 1:51 into the first round of their scheduled four-round contest in the light-heavyweight division.
Ennis wasted no time in displaying his pedigree, exhibiting poise, ring intelligence, and superior technique early in the fight. His chief-cornerman, Ryan "RG" Grant, commended Ennis's performance, stating, "He performed real well, he is a real promising talent coming out of Jamaica. I like that he's a thinker in there and he's got good eyes, looking and seeing his spots to land and to move on defense."
The turning point came when Ennis unleashed a powerful overhand right that sent Fernandez crashing to the canvas, beating the referee's 10-count only to face a relentless barrage of punches from Ennis. The onslaught forced the referee to intervene, awarding Ennis a TKO victory at 1:51 of the first round.
Ennis's victory was significant, as he became the first boxer to stop Marcelo Adrian Fernandez in the opening round of any fight. President of United Boxing Promotions, Tyler Buxton, expressed his satisfaction with Ennis's debut performance, highlighting the promising future ahead for the young Jamaican prospect.
Fellow countryman and stablemate Kemahl "Hitman" Russell praised Ennis's debut, stating, "He did what he was expected to do, the formula worked - training in Jamaica and showing up and proving on the big stage. He has a bright future."
Looking ahead, Ryan Grant emphasized the importance of keeping Ennis active in the ring without any setbacks, indicating high expectations for the rising star.
Born on February 4, 2000, in Denham Town, Kingston, Jamaica, Jerone Ennis represented Jamaica at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, U.K., reaching the quarter-final stage before making his professional debut. Ennis joins an esteemed roster of Jamaican fighters under United Boxing Promotions, including heavyweight Ricardo "Big 12" Brown, middleweight Kemahl "The Hitman" Russell, super welterweight Joshua "HellRazor" Frazer, and super middleweight Shakeel "The Jamaican Juggernaut" Phinn.
Jerone Ennis's successful professional debut marks the beginning of an exciting chapter in his boxing career, with aspirations of achieving further milestones and making a significant impact on the international stage.
This is my time, my destiny, my era and my generation – Fury on Usyk showdown
Tyson Fury has declared it is “my time, my destiny, my era and my generation” ahead of his blockbuster showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.
WBC champion Fury is set to fight Ukraine’s WBA, IBF and WBO title-holder Usyk on May 18 in Saudi Arabia in the first undisputed world heavyweight bout of the century.
Regarding his opponent, the former unified cruiserweight champion who made his heavyweight debut in 2020, Fury told a press conference on Wednesday: “It’s not personal, it’s strictly business for both fighters. There’s a lot of stuff on the line, but I don’t hate him, he don’t hate me.
“I respect him, as a man, as a fighter. Everyone has to respect the man’s achievements. Good fighter – I have a tough challenge in front of me. But I’m very confident in my ability and I’m very confident I’ll beat the guy.
“When the cruiserweights step up to the big boys, usually they get found wanting. You can beat the average big ones but you can’t beat the elite big ones, because size really matters. We have weight divisions for a reason and he’s going to be found wanting when he fights me on May 18.
“This is my time, my destiny, my era and my generation. Fact.”
Jerone Ennis completes training camp ahead of professional debut in Toronto this weekend
Jerone Ennis, the two-time Caribbean Amateur Champion, has wrapped up his training camp in Jamaica and is now set for his professional debut in Toronto, Canada this Saturday, April 13, 2024. Ennis will face off against Marcelo Adrian Fernandez, an experienced Argentine fighter, in a four-round light heavyweight bout at the Pickering Casino Resort.
Ennis, born on February 4, 2000, hails from Denham Town, Kingston, Jamaica, and represented his country at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, U.K., reaching the quarter-final stage. He recently joined a elite roster of Jamaican talent under United Boxing Promotions, including undefeated heavyweight Ricardo 'Big 12' Brown, middleweight Kemahl 'The Hitman' Russell, super welterweight Joshua 'HellRazor' Frazer, and super middleweight Shakeel 'The Jamaican Juggernaut' Phinn.
Marcelo Adrian Fernandez brings a record of four wins (two by knockout), three losses and a draw, promising a challenging matchup for Ennis's debut. However, United Boxing Promotions President Tyler Buxton expressed confidence in Ennis's abilities, emphasizing his potential to shine in the professional ranks.
"Jerone is an elite boxer, and joins a stable full of the best talent that Jamaica has to offer. We are confident that his skills and determination will shine through in his debut fight against Fernandez," Buxton expressed.
Ennis's training camp in Jamaica was marked by intense preparation, including rigorous fitness regimens and sparring sessions to sharpen his skills. Now in Toronto, Ennis is focused and ready to make an impact in the light heavyweight division.
The stage is set for an exciting showdown as Jerone Ennis steps into the professional boxing arena for the first time, aiming to leave his mark and kick-start his career with a victory over Marcelo Adrian Fernandez. Boxing enthusiasts await eagerly to witness the debut of this promising Jamaican talent on Saturday night.
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