Latest update February 8th, 2025 6:23 PM
Feb 08, 2015 Sports
By Michael Benjamin
His fans are heatedly debating his ability to rebound after back to back losses to World Boxing
Council (WBC) featherweight champion Johnny Gonzalez and Australian, Kye Mackenzie, in Australia but Clive ‘The Punisher’ Atwell is brimming with confidence and assures his fans that he is ready to reclaim his place as a top puncher in the fistic sport when he faces 2014 Contender champion, Sakima Mullings for the World Boxing Council Caribbean Boxing Federation (WBCCABOFE) jnr/welterweight title, on a card dubbed ‘Caribbean Collision’ at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH), Saturday February 21.
Middleweight WBC CABOFE champion, Edmond DeClou is also on the comeback trail after being forced to take ‘sick leave’ compliments of a wicked left hook from local super/middleweight Dereck Richmond that shattered his jaw and side-lined him and forced him to restrict his diet to just beverages; he has since informed Richmond that his ‘soup drinking days are now a thing of the past.’
Atwell and Mullings were brought together by fate after Mullings’ original opponent, Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis, incurred an injury while preparing for the fight and Atwell was drafted in. The Guyanese world rated pugilist arrived in Guyana approximately one week ago and opened camp at the Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis Boxing Gym and his first official interaction with the public occurred on Friday afternoon when he appeared at a press conference at the Avenue of the Republic office of Insurance Brokers, Abdool and Abdools.
“I’m back and you could expect the 110% I always bring to my fights,” a confident Atwell assured his fans. Reminded of Mullins’ dominance over several Guyanese boxers, Atwell scoffed and declared that he will not be joining that group. “I know that he has defeated many of my countrymen but I am one of the best fighters Mullins has ever faced in his (entire) career,” he declared. “The reality is that this is not a bout between Atwell and Mullings but one between Guyana and Jamaica,” Atwell reminded. He said that he has recovered from his defeats and is good and ready to return to his winning ways.
Another fight that has caught the imagination of the pundits is the Dereck Richmond/Edmond DeClou clash. This is their second meeting and Richmond would feel he has the psychological advantage after dealing DeClou a wicked left hook that sent him to the hospital nursing a broken jaw. The injury has side-lined DeClou and this fight will signal his return to combat.
In the meantime, Richmond had engaged in several bouts, gaining valuable experience. He has also won the local super/middleweight title after stopping James Walcott and also participated in the ‘Contender’ series in Jamaica last year.
DeClou is not impressed and said that his loss to Richmond stemmed from complacency, a mistake he does not intend to repeat. “I had underestimated Richmond and paid for my complacency; that will not happen again,” assured DeClou. “This fight will be Dereck’s worst nightmare!”
These two fights are but a fraction of the entertainment in store and ought to attract the largest crowd at the CASH after a lull in activities. There are several other interesting face offs that promises much including the Quincy Gomes/Keeve Allicock lightweight 4 rounder, the Mark Austin/Dexter Gonsalves jnr/welterweight non-title 8 rounds affair and the bout between Barbados based Guyanese, Charwyn Eswick and debutant, Travis Fraser over 4 rounds in the jnr/middleweight division. From all indications, the boxers are primed up for combat and fans will be best advised to purchase their tickets early because this card is a ‘don’t you dare miss it’ affair.
Admission is $3000 for a ringside seat and half that amount for the stand. Several corporate entities have rendered financial and other support towards the success of the card including Giftland Office Max, Guyana Tourism Board, GTM, Guyoil, Digicel and Courts (Guyana) Ltd among others.
The coming weeks will see a hive of activity in the gym and Kaieteur Sport will be at those institutions to keep the readers updated of the progress of the various pugilists. Action time is 20:00hrs.
Feb 08, 2025
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