Eight sizzling bouts carded for GABA, GBBC inaugural Pro/Am extravaganza

Feb 25, 2010 Sports

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Boxing buffs contemplating on their weekend activities may very well be advised to visit the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall for the inaugural Pro/Am boxing cards organized by the Guyana Boxing Board of Control, in collaboration with the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) since several of the nation’s top boxers from both sectors will be in action.
The amateurs would start the programme off with Rena David of the Forgotten Youth Foundation (FYF) against Ansila Charles of the Harpy Eagles Boxing Gym (HEBG). The two would engage in a three rounds featherweight affair. Edwin Richards (GDF) and Danishwar Narine (REP) would tangle in the flyweight division while Dexter Jordon (FYF) and Imran Khan (HE) square off in another flyweight fight. In the final amateur fight of the night, GDF welterweight, Bert Braithwaite will match gloves with Republican, Damian Ross.
The professionals then take over about half an hour after the amateur bouts are concluded. These fighters convene for the official weigh-in ceremony this evening at the Chemical Corner #2 Branch at the Berbice Car Park starting at 20:00hrs. All of the principals have been engaged in serious preparations and judging from their respective applications, fans are in for a treat.
Four professional bouts will comprise the eight bout card and even though none of the fights have been identified as the main attraction, the Edmond DeClou and Kwesi Jones clash seems to have caught the imagination of boxing buffs.
One only needs to reflect on the two epic encounters these two have had in the not so distant past. The first bout, staged sometime last year saw both men making their professional debut. Jones had employed an attacking style and defeated DeClou by the widest of margins. The two signed up for their second encounter some two months after the first and this time DeClou was prepared for anything Jones had to offer. Displaying unbridled confidence, Jones committed the fundamental error of underrating his man. For such indiscretions, he was made to pay. DeClou turned in the fight of his life that had Jones at sea for the most part. Try as he might Jones could not come up with the right artillery to overcome the Lindener and the latter fighter eventually prevailed by a unanimous decision.
After that bout, Jones had uttered a plethora of excuses for his poor showing. He vowed to come back stronger and settle the issue for the last time. That opportunity presents itself tomorrow night when the two fighters square off for bout number three.
Jones has since disposed of the sobriquet attached to his name saying that it does not truly reflect his demeanor. The old ‘Mommy Nice Boy’ has been replaced by the more ominous ‘Lightening Struck Hitman.’
While Jones believes that this ploy may instigate the required results, DeClou has other ideas. One day after signing the contract to formulize the deal, the Lindener turned up for training at the Young Lion’s Gym at 1/2 Mile Four Corner, Wismar Linden and turned in an awesome training session that underlines his level of seriousness for this bout. He engaged in 6 furious rounds with his trainer, also a former boxer, Dirk Alexander, before attacking the heavy punching bag for several sustained rounds. DeClou then focused his attention on the striking pads and rounded off sessions with fifteen minutes of rigid skipping. A rangy fighter that packs a punch, DeClou has plans of his own. He scoffed at Jones’ name change strategy and labeled it as ‘creeding luck.’ DeClou further said that Jones would need more than a change of name to defeat him.
He shied away from predicting a knockout and said instead, “I have been intensely involved in training for this fight and on Friday night I will show what I am capable of.”
He said that the loss he suffered in the first fight happened because he was complacent and did not take his training seriously. He has since promised to apply himself diligently to his training sessions to maximize his chances at success.
Meanwhile, light/heavyweight fighters, Pauline London and Shelly ‘The Boom’ Gibson will provide the early fireworks when they meet for the second time. In the first encounter, London had employed a two fisted attack that had the heavier Gibson at sea and eventually earned a lopsided unanimous verdict. This time around, Gibson has promised to avenge that loss and judging from the intensity displayed in the gym, seems determined to reverse her fortunes.
In the other two professional bouts Rudolph ‘Determine’ Fraser tackles Paul Lewis in a catchweight affair while old rivals, Dexter Marques and Orland ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rogers go after each other in a highly anticipated bantamweight affair.
There would be a live broadcast of the fight on NCN 11 starting at 08:00hrs. The admission fee is $500.

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