Just by the way they entered the ring, you could tell Allan (Forty) Rego's boxers meant business.

And business is also what they brought with them inside the ropes during the annual Teachers Rugby Club Fight Night on Saturday.

In what was widely interpreted as a rebirth of the sport on the Island, Rego sent five novice fighters into the ring and came out with four victories -- two by knockout -- during a nine-bout card at Number One Shed.

Donned in black trunks with matching black robes, one-by-one they marched into the ring, hooded heads bowed and gloved hands resting atop coach Troy Darrell's shoulders as Rego followed.

Darrell and Rego, themselves adorned in black and gold, formed a pretty imposing one-two punch during local boxing's heydey in the 1980s and in the past few months have helped revive it. Rego has carved a makeshift gym out of his Warwick garage and Darrell, the former world contender, has tagged along as coach.

Like almost everything else that has come with this resurgence, the cost of the outfits came out of Rego's own pocket.

"(The boxers) feel good when they put them on,'' Rego said. "It gives them more confidence.'' Psychology aside, his boxers have apparently picked up a few sills along the way.

Jerome Caines brawled his way to a unanimous decision over Tim O'Leary; Brent Palmer, outpointed Ronald Gibbons; Dennis Russell earned a first-round knockout of Matthew Hayward, and, in a battle of 190-pounders, Karlton Simmons pummelled Russell Matthews.

The only blemish for Rego's crew was when Devin Stowe, 17 and outweighed by 15 pounds, lost a unanimous decision to Lamont Williams.

"It's been a lot of hard work but you only get out of it what you put in,'' Rego said. "I'm looking for a lot of good things from these boys. Troy's worked really hard with them and it shows.'' With the exception of Simmons, they were all making their ring debut.

Added Rego: "Everyone of them was nervous (before their fight). But's that's normal. And to be nervous is a good thing because then they the do the things they've been taught to do.'' Photos by Arthur Bean NO MAS -- This punch, along with several others, persuaded Johnny Darrell (right), to retire in the second round of his bout against Jeff Sangster during Teachers Rugby Club's Fight Night on Saturday.

GLANCING BLOW -- Jerome Caines (left) rallied from Tim O'Leary's overhand right here to earn a unanimous decision during Saturday night's amateur boxing card at Number One Shed.

Forty's fighters put on a show From Page 25 Simmons, 20, competed in last year's Fight Night -- he won -- and said afterwards he used that knowledge, along with what he's gained in the past few months, to good use against the overmatched Matthews.

He administered a standing eight-count early in the first round, then floored the game Matthews again ten seconds later. In the second round, Matthews was staggered by a combination but Simmons didn't go for the kill.

"It's always nice to get a knockout but you don't want to go into the third round with nothing left,'' he said.

Another impressive winner was Russell at 150 pounds. The 14-year-old southpaw stung Hayward with his first punch then hit him twice more as his opponent attempted to scamper away. He only needed one more shot when Hayward went down and, to a chorus of boos, decided not to get up.

"I just boxed,'' Russell shrugged afterwards.

Caines, 26, had little trouble with O'Leary -- "I loved it,'' he said of his first fight -- but Gibbons, loading up on right uppercuts, gave Palmer all he could handle.

Same for Williams, who stalked Stowe throughout the fight and stunned him a couple of times.

In other bouts, Jeff Sangster earned a second-round knockout of Johnny Darrell and Andrew Ahern earned a unanimous decision over an exhausted, but valiant, George Spurling.

Mike Sutton, at 210 pounds, flattened 190-pound Hal Kempe in the first round -- Kempe stayed on the canvas for close to a minute -- while, in a battle of superheavyweights, Paul Sofianaos, bleeding from the nose, didn't answer the bell for the second round against Mannie Faria.

In an exhibition bout between a couple of Island veterans, Red Johnson took on David Hope. The fight wasn't scored but if it had been, Johnson, with a 30-pound weight advantage, would've won an easy decision.

A large, and occasionally unruly, crowd took in the Teachers Rugby Football Club fund-raiser. A portion of the proceeds go to the Bermuda Diabetic Association.

Photos by Arthur Bean NO MAS -- This punch, along with several others, persuaded Johnny Darrell (right), to retire in the second round of his bout against Jeff Sangster during Teachers Rugby Club's Fight Night on Saturday.

GLANCING BLOW -- Jerome Caines (left) rallied from Tim O'Leary's overhand right here to earn a unanimous decision during Saturday night's amateur boxing card at Number One Shed.

TAKING IT ON THE CHIN -- Jerome Caines (left) delivers a shot to the chin of Tim O'Leary during their bout on Saturday's fight card at Number One Shed.