Latest news with #JamaicaObserver
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Inside track on St Mirren new boy Richard King as he is tipped for success in Scotland
Daniel Blake of the Jamaica Observer has given Buddies fans an insight into what to expect from the highly-rated defender. St Mirren new boy Richard King has been backed to succeed in Scotland with his key attributes outlined. The Buddies have snapped up the highly-rated Jamaican international on a two-year deal from Cavalier FC of the island's Premier League. King was a player manager Stephen Robinson had been trying to get during the January transfer window — and he resumed his interest this summer as he sought a replacement for Richard Taylor who joined Sky Bet League One side Bolton Wanderers. The 23-year-old defender is currently on international duty with the Reggae Boyz in the Concacaf Gold Cup which is taking place in the United States. And King has been tipped to play a vital part in Robbo's team – with the centre-back able to defend aggressively and play with the ball at his feet, too. Speaking with the Paisley Daily Express, Daniel Blake of the Jamaica Observer has given the lowdown on what the black-and-white army can expect from Jamaica's rising star. 'Richard is quite a unique defender in Jamaican terms,' he said. 'Over the years, Jamaica has developed defenders who are aggressive, no-nonsense; those rough-nosed types, as they would say, but Richard is sort of unique. 'He's almost — and I don't want to directly compare him — similar to how William Saliba plays for Arsenal. He's very good on the ball, he can progress it very well and nine times out of 10, he tends to make the right decisions. 'And the way his body language is, you would never think that he is panicking. He tends to read a lot of situations before they may happen. I'm not saying that he is without fault because, sometimes, as his head coach would admit, he does look a little casual. 'But I think that is because a lot of times he goes into games with the mindset – and, quite frankly, accurate mindset – of that he is a very good defender.' In his short career so far, King has already tasted success on multiple occasions as captain after lifting the Jamaican Premier League trophy three times and also the Caribbean Club Championship trophy with Cavalier. The success in the latter tournament saw him come up against some of the greatest players in the game in Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez after he faced United States MLS side Inter Miami in the Champions Cup in March. Most of his career has been shaped in Jamaica apart from a short loan spell in Iceland with IBV where he played with former Buddies wing-back Elvis Bwomono. Daniel says Reggae Boyz supporters look at King in a different light as he is revered as one of the special players due to being born and having played on the island. 'Over the last maybe 10 years,' he added, 'Jamaica has done a lot of scouting of UK-based talents. [But] Richard, who has been playing in Jamaica for the last five to six years – though he did have the loan in Iceland – was basically the only local player who was a mainstay. 'So, even though our league may not be comparable to the English Premier League and the Championship and so forth, every coach has seen his value because of how good he is. 'He is also one of the players where he is [seen as] 'one of us' as he was born and raised here. That isn't a slight on any of the other players who have a Jamaican connection. 'But there is a different pride when you see players grow up and play in our high school competitions, and local leagues, to then go on and make it in the game.
Los Angeles Times
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Mike ‘The Body Snatcher' McCallum, boxing hall of famer and three-time champion, dies at 68
Mike 'The Body Snatcher' McCallum was so feared for his impeccable technique that the 'four kings' of the 1980s declined to fight him. Nevertheless, McCallum won world titles at super welterweight, middleweight and light heavyweight and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. McCallum, the first Jamaican-born champion, died Saturday in Las Vegas at 68. The Jamaica Observer reported that McCallum fell ill while driving to a gym and pulled off the road. He was found to be unresponsive, and was later pronounced dead. Not that his inability to secure a bout with Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard or Marvin Hagler spoiled his mood. It was particularly telling that Hearns wouldn't fight McCallum, because they were longtime sparring partners before becoming champions. McCallum was disappointed but remained all smiles outside the ring, consistently carrying himself with a pleasant, if serious, disposition. In the ring, his attention to detail and faultless technique enabled him to post a 49-5-1 record. McCallum earned his nickname by repeatedly punching the body and head. More often than not, bouts ended in knockouts — he recorded 36 KOs and was never knocked out. The Ring magazine ranked him in 2011 as eighth on their list of the '10 best middleweight title holders of the last 50 years.' 'None of 'The Four Kings,' wanted anything to do with that guy and I know that for a fact because I tried to make some of those fights,' Hall of Fame boxer Lou DiBella told longtime boxing writer Kevin Iole. 'He was the most perfect technical fighter I've ever seen, and he wasn't a pitty-pat guy.' McCallum became the first Jamaican boxer to win a world title when he defeated Irishman Sean Mannion by unanimous decision in 1984 at Madison Square Garden for the WBA Junior Middleweight crown. Jamaican Sport Minister Olivia Grange issued a statement upon learning of McCallum's passing, saying, 'It is with utter and complete sadness that I learned of the death of Jamaica's three-time World Boxing Champion Michael McKenzie McCallum. 'I express my personal condolences to his mother, siblings and his children. On behalf of the Ministry of Sports I take this opportunity to extend our sympathies to the family and friends of this legendary Jamaican.' Michael McKenzie McCallum was born Dec. 7, 1956, in Kingston, Jamaica, and began boxing as a teenager, racking up as many as 250 amateur bouts before turning pro in 1981. He represented Jamaica at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals. He boxed professionally until 1997, successfully defending the WBA junior middleweight crown six times, including wins over Julian Jackson, Milton McCrory and Donald Curry before moving up a weight class to middleweight. McCallum defeated Herol Graham in 1989 to become WBA middleweight champion and defended the belt with wins over Steve Collins, Michael Watson and Sumbu Kalambay. He won his third division title in 1994 by again stepping up in weight class and defeating Jeff Harding for the WBC light heavyweight crown. He met his match against James Toney, fighting to a draw Dec. 13, 1991, before losing to Toney twice. McCallum also dropped a 12-round decision to Roy Jones in a 1997 light heavyweight title fight. He retired shortly thereafter and became a successful trainer, taking great pride in teaching his body-punching technique to young boxers. Jones expressed sadness to Kevin Iole, saying, 'Man, we lost another beautiful boxing soul. May he rest in peace.' Jones also lamented that McCallum was unable to book fights against the four kings. 'In the junior middleweight division, everyone always went around Mike McCallum, and that says a lot about him,' Jones said. 'Not even Marvin [Hagler] ever talked much about fighting Mike McCallum. You don't have to listen to what they say [about him]. You watch what they do and everyone wanted to go around him for a reason.' In a post on X, the WBC said: 'Rest in Peace to the legendary Mike 'The Body Snatcher' McCallum. Former WBA world champion and one of the most technically gifted fighters of his era. Thank you for the fights, the lessons, and the greatness.
Irish Independent
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Jamaican boxing legend Mike McCallum dies suddenly, aged 68
McCallum died suddenly near his home in Las Vegas on Saturday (31 May), with the Jamaica Observer reporting that he was on his way to the gym when he fell ill and pulled his car off the road. He was later found unresponsive and later pronounced dead. Known 'The Bodysnatcher' due to his vicious punching ability, especially to the body, McCallum was the first Jamaican to become a boxing world champion – eventually winning titles at junior middleweight, middleweight and light heavyweight between 1984 and 1995. After retiring in 1997 with 49 wins, five losses and one draw from 55 fights, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003. Jamaica's sport minister Olivia Grange wrote on Instagram: "It is with utter and complete sadness that I learned of the death of Jamaica's three-time World Boxing Champion Michael McKenzie McCallum. "I express my personal condolences to his mother, siblings and his children. On behalf of the Ministry of Sport, I take this opportunity to extend our sympathies to the family and friends of this legendary Jamaican. "We hope they find strength in this time of bereavement." His most famous fights came against the likes of Michael Watson, Steve Collins, James Toney and Roy Jones Jr, having turned professional in 1981 after winning welterweight gold for Jamaica at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton. McCallum became world champion when he beat Ireland's Sean Mannion at Madison Square Garden in New York in 1984, claiming the WBA junior middleweight crown, and won his first 32 fights in the paid ranks, including successful title defences against Milton McCrory and Don Curry. His first defeat came in Italy against Sumbu Kalambay in 1988 when trying to add the WBA middleweight title to his collection but he did claim that belt a year later by earning a split-decision win over Herol Graham in the Royal Albert Hall in London. Successful defences came against Collins in Boston and Watson back at the Royal Albert Hall before avenging his Kalambay defeat in Monaco. December 1991 saw the first of a trilogy of fights against Toney over the course of his remaining career – with a split-decision draw and majority-decision loss in the space of nine months twice denying him the IBF middleweight belt. He did win a world title in a third weight division as a 38-year-old in 1994 when Jeff Harding was defeated for the WBC light heavyweight title but lost it to Fabrice Tiozzo a year later. His career then ended with losses to Jones Jr and Toney, the latter at cruiserweight. McCallum was hugely technically gifted as fighter and is undoubtedly the greatest Jamaican boxer of all time, as well as one of the best of his era, who leaves a huge legacy behind. 'Rest in Peace to the legendary Mike 'The Body Snatcher' McCallum,' read a tribute from the WBA. 'Former WBA world champion and one of the most technically gifted fighters of his era. Thank you for the fights, the lessons, and the greatness."
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Rockets star Amen Thompson mulls playing for Jamaica in future international competitions
Houston Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson is open to playing for Jamaica in future international basketball competitions, the 22-year-old rising star said earlier this week. 'Ever since I was a kid, I used to watch the Olympics and see [sprinters] Usain Bolt and [Yohan] Blake," Thompson said, via Daniel Blake of the Jamaica Observer. 'Jamaica always represents a gold medal culture. I always wanted to see a basketball team, I wanted to picture basketball players with a Jamaica jersey on, and I always wanted to wear one, too.' Advertisement 'So, just getting the opportunity — I could either play for USA or Jamaica — but being able to be here and it even [being] an option, it means a lot to me.' Michael Shapiro of Houston's has more: Thompson, along with his twin brother and Detroit Pistons wing Ausar Thompson, discussed his international basketball future during an appearance in Kingston, Jamaica, with the Jamaica Basketball Association and the Bob Marley Foundation. Both twins expressed interest in competing for Team Jamaica in future international basketball competitions, following in the footsteps of their uncle, Mark Thompson, who competed in the 400-meter hurdles for Jamaica at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Troy Thompson, the twins' father, is Jamaican, and according to the Jamaica Observer, both Amen and Ausar have started the process of obtaining Jamaican citizenship. Both Thompson twins are eligible to compete for the United States in upcoming international competitions, including the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Amen, in particular, would seem to have a path to Team USA after a breakout NBA season in 2024-25 and a stint with the U.S. Select Team during the 2024 offseason. But Jamaica represents another option, and one in which he could conceivably play with his twin brother. While Jamaica does not have any previous experience in either the Olympics or the FIBA World Cup, the team has already secured a playing commitment from Los Angeles Clippers star Norman Powell, which —especially if combined with the Thompson twins — could make them a formidable side. Advertisement The Rockets haven't had a representative on Team USA since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1996. More: Rockets prospects Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson named to USA Basketball select team This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Amen Thompson considers playing for Jamaica in global competitions
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rockets star Amen Thompson mulls playing for Jamaica in future international competitions
Rockets star Amen Thompson mulls playing for Jamaica in future international competitions Rockets star Amen Thompson and his twin brother, Ausar, are expressing interest in playing for Jamaica in future international basketball competitions. Team USA is also an option. Houston Rockets guard/forward Amen Thompson is open to playing for Jamaica in future international basketball competitions, the 22-year-old rising star said earlier this week. 'Ever since I was a kid, I used to watch the Olympics and see [sprinters] Usain Bolt and [Yohan] Blake," Thompson said, via Daniel Blake of the Jamaica Observer. 'Jamaica always represents a gold medal culture. I always wanted to see a basketball team, I wanted to picture basketball players with a Jamaica jersey on, and I always wanted to wear one, too.' 'So, just getting the opportunity — I could either play for USA or Jamaica — but being able to be here and it even [being] an option, it means a lot to me.' Michael Shapiro of Houston's has more: Thompson, along with his twin brother and Detroit Pistons wing Ausar Thompson, discussed his international basketball future during an appearance in Kingston, Jamaica, with the Jamaica Basketball Association and the Bob Marley Foundation. Both twins expressed interest in competing for Team Jamaica in future international basketball competitions, following in the footsteps of their uncle, Mark Thompson, who competed in the 400-meter hurdles for Jamaica at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Troy Thompson, the twins' father, is Jamaican, and according to the Jamaica Observer, both Amen and Ausar have started the process of obtaining Jamaican citizenship. Both Thompson twins are eligible to compete for the United States in upcoming international competitions, including the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Amen, in particular, would seem to have a path to Team USA after a breakout NBA season in 2024-25 and a stint with the U.S. Select Team during the 2024 offseason. But Jamaica represents another option, and one in which he could conceivably play with his twin brother. While Jamaica does not have any previous experience in either the Olympics or the FIBA World Cup, the team has already secured a playing commitment from Los Angeles Clippers star Norman Powell, which —especially if combined with the Thompson twins — could make them a formidable side. The Rockets haven't had a representative on Team USA since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1996. More: Rockets prospects Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson named to USA Basketball select team
