Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 09, 2014 Sports
By Michael Benjamin
When forty nine year old ‘Big’ George Foreman laced up his gloves against Michael Moorer in April 1994, he did so against conventional wisdom and the pundits labeled it a suicide move. It is now history that Foreman registered a 10th round knockout and stripped Moorer of the World Boxing Association/International Boxing Federation belts. Boxing is regarded as a sport for the young and energetic and Foreman’s feat was labeled as phenomenal and to date no other pugilist has been able to emulate this feat.
While not of world championship material, a Guyanese pugilist, 61 year old Nazar Sulaiman, surpasses Foreman’s age by miles yet continues to ply his trade in the square jungle when he chalked up an important victory in the fourth annual National United States Masters Amateur Boxing tournament at the world renowned Gleason’s Gym, Front Street Brooklyn, New York.
Kaieteur Sport had documented the feat in an earlier edition and had the privilege of speaking with Sulaiman when he visited our Saffon Street office yesterday morning.
Born in Port Mourant Berbice, Sulaiman migrated to the USA in 1972 but started boxing one year later when he returned home on holiday. He said that he compiled 4 fights, 3 in the Ancient County and one at the National Park, Georgetown. He cannot remember the names of his opponents but Sulaiman said that he has lost one of those bouts. Shortly afterwards he returned to the USA but did not immediately pursue a boxing career. Instead he became involved in other sports disciplines as a pastime activity.
Sulaiman said that Guyana’s late Commonwealth Champion and World rater, Patrick Ford, was instrumental in his return to the sport and he started training at a gym in Liberty Avenue, Queen’s NY. It was then that he learnt of the Annual National United States Masters Amateur Boxing tournament billed for the Gleason’s Gym, Front Street Brooklyn, New York, June 15 and 16 last, and decided to enter.
It is now history that he registered a second round technical knockout over Lonnie McCabe, a young pugilist from Albany USA, to win the national welterweight title. The Guyanese pugilist tipped the scales at 142lbs, three less than his opponent.
Sulaiman said that he is enjoying himself in the ring and does not feel self conscious about his age. “I am even more energetic than a lot of the other boxers with whom I train,” he boasted. He said that he will be returning to the USA soon to resume training for the next edition of the National United States Masters Amateur Boxing tournament and also has his eyes set on the New York State Championships within a few months.
In the meantime, the veteran boxer said that he plans on assisting boxers out of the Ancient County to realize their dreams by providing much needed gear. Already, he has fulfilled this commitment with a shipment for the boxers of the Rose Hall Jammers as well as the Pocket Rocket Boxing gym. Another set of gear is on its way and should be in Guyana soon. Sulaiman said that all he wants is for the young pugilists to realize their dreams as he has been allowed to do.
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