Allicock aims to make history for his late dad Gets belated birthday gift with news of trip to Tokyo

Jun 17, 2021 Sports

By Sean Devers

Caribbean Bantamweight Boxing Champion Keevin Allicock celebrated his 22nd birthday last Sunday and two days later received a wonderful belated birthday gift with the news of his participation at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics Games in Japan from July 23 to August 8, 2021.
The lightning fast Allicock is Guyana’s best hope of achieving an Olympic Medal since Boxer Mike Parris won Guyana’s only Medal (Bronze) in the 1980 Olympics in Moscow 41 years ago.

Keevin Allicock is ready to strike Gold.

A member of the Forgotten Youths Foundation (FYF) in Albouystown, Allicock is the first Guyanese boxer to attend the Olympic in 25 years since John Douglas lost in the first round in 1996.
Allicock, along with Colin Lewis, Desmond Amsterdam and Dennis Thomas were set to attend the Olympic Qualifiers in Argentina scheduled for the March 26-April 3, 2021 which was cancelled due the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Allicock became the only Guyanese in the latest world rankings released by AIBA when he was ranked 19th in the Bantamweight division which eventually earned him a spot at the Olympics.
His elder brother Dillion Allicock was the last Guyanese before him to hold an AIBA world ranking over a decade ago.
Reacting to the good news Allicock said it was a wonderful feeling.
“First of all I want to thank God for giving me this wonderful blessing. When I first got the news from the President of Guyana Boxing Association and new Director of Sports Steve Ninvalle, it was a wonderful feeling to represent your Country at such a high level,” stated the supremely talented young pugilist.
Allicock, who informed that he has been training under the watchful eyes of his Coach Sebert Blake during the pandemic period, added that he should be going overseas until the Olympics to engage in further training.
Allicock says boxing is not only physical and a lot of mental work goes into his fights similar to the way Floyd Mayweather fights.
“In Cuba I was working on my power since we have to start knocking people out. I am very confident going into this wonderful Games and trusting in the Lord to do everything for me because I can’t fight this fight alone and this has been such a blessing for me.
Well, I serve a true and living God and there are no limits to what he can do so it’s a hundred percent and it being postponed has given me more time to train and be ready.
I lean not on my own understanding and I always leave things to happen in God’s time. When he says no is no and when says yes is yes,” said an elated Allicock.
“I got involved in Boxing at a very young age because of dad who had the love and passion for Boxing and my older brothers. Dad was our first Coach and four of my brothers represented Guyana.

Chairman of the NSC Kasif Muhammad with Allicock.

The success of the great Andrew ‘Six Head’ Lewis along with my brothers inspired me to take boxing seriously. I would train with them, training in the afternoon and they went before me and I followed,” added Allicock who is one of 20 siblings including seven sisters.
Six of the Allicock clan; Orlando, Kevin, Cort, Dame Prince-Allicock, Dillion and Keevin represented Guyana in Boxing.
“I was not only inspired by Dillion’s world ranking, which I knew of as little boy, but by all of my brothers. This is a gift that God give us.
It was not that we were trained to fight but we were born to fight. Dad would always tell me that I was born to make history,” posited Allicock.
However, Allicock’s dad, Leonard Allicock, died in late October last year at the Georgetown Hospital following a prolonged illness and his son said the death has affected him a lot.
“My dad’s passing really affected me …I wish he was here to see me compete and make history since it’s been 41 years since Guyana won its first Olympic Medal when Mr Mike Parris won Bronze.
So it hard for me at this moment…I am happy and sad at the same because my dad is not here but I still have to do what I have to do to make him proud…show him that I can win because he always told me I am a champion and I will do great things,” promised the emotional Allicock.
“My aim is to get a Gold Medal at the Olympics which will be history for this Country and achieving that I plan to turn pro since then I will able to make a living from Boxing,” disclosed Allicock
“I am very grateful for this opportunity and I thank everyone who has helped me so far….my family, the Pastor at my Church Apostle Alex Salome, Director of Sports and GBA President Steve Ninvalle, Chairman of the National Sports Commission Kashif Mohammed, Minister of Culture, Youth & Sport Charles Ramson, the GOA and my Coach Sebert Blake, God bless you and to everyone who supported me across the 83,000 sq. miles of Guyana…God bless you.”
Allicock stated that winning a medal at the Olympic Games would be the ultimate silver lining behind the dark cloud of the global pandemic.

GOA President K-Juman Yassin congratulates Keevin Allicock in the presence of GBA’s President Steve-Ninvalle.

Allicock, grew up in a Community known for its crime and poverty but supported by his strong faith in God, a few good men and a pair of Boxing Gloves he has proved that good can come out of a Community, that in 2001, produced Guyana’s first World Champion, the late Andrew ‘Six head’ Lewis, who also attended the 1992 Olympics.
The 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games Silver Medalist has won six of his 13 International Amateur bouts.
On June 18, 2018 in the CAC Games in Bolivia he lost to Lucus Fernandez of Argentina but he still won a Bronze Medal.
In December 2018 in Mexico, Allicock was narrowly beaten in a keenly contested bout against current Olympic Bantamweight Champion Robeisy Ramirez of Cuba. Allicock says Ramirez is the best opponent he has faced so far.
In April 2019 in Nicaragua Allicock conceded a controversial ‘Walk Over’ to Alety De Cruz in the semi-finals of the Pan Am Games Qualifiers due to ‘inappropriate attire’.
Allicock was Guyana’s flag-bearer at the 2019 Pan Am Games in Peru where the entire crowd felt he had won his fight against Lucus Fernandez of Uruguay but the judges though differently.

The late Leonard Allicock.

In September 2019 Allicock travelled to Russia for World Boxing Championships. The last time a Guyanese pugilist had qualified for this Event was in 2013 when Denis Thomas and Imran Khan represented Guyana.
Born on June 13, 1999 to Lennard Lawrence Allicock and Pauletta Prince, Keevin spent most of his life in Albouystown and attended the Albouystown Nursery, Kettley Primary before spending a short time at a Private school.
Allicock slept on a mattress on the floor of his home but said growing in a harsh environment made him mentally stronger and forced him to lean more on God.

Keevin Alicock (right) in action against Bajan Ajayl Jones in their Bantamweight bout. (Sean Devers-photo)

He joined the Harpy Eagles Boxing Gym as a six-year-old and under the guidance of Coach James Walcott before moving to FYF at 15 where Blake is the Coach and has been there since then.
World Bantamweight Champion Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov of Uzbekistan is the number one-ranked Boxer in the Bantamweight division but Allicock is well ahead of several boxers from China, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Ukraine and Peru.
“It’s a real blessing for me to be so high up among the best in the World in my division. I am happy to be recognised for my hard work by AIBA, especially after a tough few months in Cuba due to COVID-19.
Allicock joins athlete Aliyah Abrams, table tennis player Chelsea Edghill and swimmers Andrew Fowler and Jamila Sanmoogan, who will rep the Golden Arrowhead at the global showpiece.