Bascome lifts Championship title in Florida
With the spoils of victory draped around his broad shoulders, top local amateur boxer Nikki Bascome made a triumphant return home yesterday.The 21-year-old orthodox boxer captured the Dynamic Fighting Championship Junior Middleweight belt via a unanimous points decision against aggressive southpaw Kirt Alphonso at the International Palms Resort Conference Center in Orlando, Florida at the weekend.It was Bascome’s second straight win against Alphonso inside of three months and the first title he’s won at this particular event.His amateur record as a Junior Middleweight now stands at a perfect 9-0.Having beaten Alphonso earlier this summer via a points decision, Bascome braced himself for what ultimately proved to be a bruising rematch between both fighters in the ring.“I knew from the first fight that it was going to be another tough fight and very close,” the Bermudian boxer said. “He’s a great fighter, was in great shape and certainly live up to what everybody was saying.“It was definitely no easy fight. He’s taller and way bigger than me, has some power to his punches, doesn’t give up and that’s what made this fight great. I wouldn’t take nothing away from him.”Bascome said his game plan worked to perfection against his physically superior and aggressive rival.“I just went in there and executed the plan and that was to box because the last time we fought I got too caught up in brawling with him and that’s not my style. I am more of a boxer/puncher but this time I moved around and relied on some of the things that Rego and Troy (trainers Allen Rego and Troy Darrell) and myself have been working on and it paid off.”Alphonso tried to impose his will on Bascome from the opening bell before the latter’s footwork and swift and powerful punches took their toll on the Florida resident, especially in the final two rounds of the three-round championship bout.“He did try to back me up but I just relaxed and let my hands go when he was throwing punches,” Bascome said. “He couldn’t handle the speed and power of my punches and by the third round I was even more confident and started moving more and landing some shots.“I threw the same overhand right three times in a row and stung him and that won me the fight. I was very confident in this fight and very focused as well. I never felt he was beating me because I landed the cleaner punches.“I was very confident I won the fight even before they put up my hand. I proved to everybody there that I was the better fighter - I beat the same man twice.”Bascome’s trainer Rego was delighted to see his fighter stick to the original game plan throughout the championship bout.“The fight went really good and exactly how we planned it to go,” the veteran trainer said. “It was a really good fight.”Bascome will defend his belt at the International Palms Resort Conference Center in Orlando, Florida in October against an opponent yet to be determined. He also plans to compete in next January’s Florida Golden Gloves, an event he was previously disqualified from after failing to make the specified weight requirement.“I slipped up last time in the Golden Gloves on weight, I wasn’t that focused,” he said. “I fought one round and won but missed weight in the next round and was disqualified because the rules are very strict.“That was kind of upsetting for myself and my coach so I am trying to go back out there. I feel that if I can put 150 percent into my training and stay focused I can get Golden Gloves, which is my dream.”Bascome’s championship fight was preceded by bouts involving fellow countrymen Lejai Tucker, Andre Lambe and Chris Wilkinson who all lost to their respective opponents.