Jamaica face fight to keep Busta deal

Ainsley Walters, Freelance Writer

PAUL SHOUCAIR, general manager, Jamaica Beverages, sponsor of Jamaica's combined Martial Arts team, has revealed that a Trinidad and Tobago tae kwon do group, led by Jamaican-born Ryan Rampair, has approached his business' parent company, S.M. Jaleel, to woo Busta's sponsorship from the Jamaican fighters.

S.M. Jaleel is based in Trinidad and Tobago and has endorsed Jamaica Beverages' two-year sponsorship of the touring Jamaican combined team, the Busta Fighters, through the Busta brand of soft drinks.

However, when Jamaica face Trinidad and Tobago in the twin-island republic for the final match of the Caribbean Games Series on February 2, both teams will square off as Busta Fighters with the victor eyeing millions of dollars in sponsorship money, the lifeblood of the Jamaicans' extensive tours abroad.

"They are looking to take it over if they beat Jamaica," Shoucair told The Gleaner Sports on Wednesday.

"However, I see it as a 99-1 chance of them doing so, plus we're coming from far with the Busta Fighters. What this rivalry has done is pit Jamaica beverages against its parent company in Trinidad and Tobago," Shoucair pointed out.

"I don't know much about the Trinidadians but I don't see them beating Jamaica," he added.

Trinidad and Tobago have never beaten Jamaica and the combined team had plans to use the event, along with a showdown against the United States, as a warm-up for their defence of the Continental World Championship title at the United States Open in July.

However, what has traditionally been an easy fixture has now been billed as a battle for millions of Busta sponsorship.

"The Trinidadian squad has traditionally been a tae kwon do team. We now understand it will be a combined team," said McKay.

Battle on their hands

However, with much on the line and the hosts being able to pull from a large array of fighters available, Jamaica could have a battle on their hands.

Assuming they would have faced a tae kwon do squad, the combined team selected its international Tae Kwon Do Federation fighters, saving its karate members, arguably its top fighters, for a match up against the United States in March.

However, the showdown is expected to begin in Jamaica's favour as first up will be a microweight match featuring the much-improved Alrick Wanliss.

The second match, the captain's showdown, between McKay and the much younger Rampair is expected to be a hot affair.

Whereas Rampair has been significantly less active than McKay over the past seven years, he had defeated his super heavyweight rival at the 2006 Carib Games in Cuba.

World junior champion, now senior, Nicholas Dussard, is expected to bear the brunt of responsibility in match three before veteran Arthur Barrows steps in for the fourth bout.

Injury concern Kenneth Edwards is fifth up and the reserve fighter is Dwayne Brown, whose sharpness is in question after a slow start to preseason training.

With millions on the line, the Jamaican squad is hunting a 22nd unbeaten outing in four years.