The first edition of the Caribbean Boxing Classic which will showcase the region’s top pugilists to the rest of the world has been postponed. Promoter Carwyn Holland announced yesterday afternoon that because of visa and flight problems, the two fighters from the Dominican Republic could not make it to Guyana in time to keep their fight dates.
Holland said the problems began with getting the fighters the requisite Guyana visas and this was accomplished only through the intervention of Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Elizabeth Harper, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee and Deputy Chief Immigration Officer George Vyphius who came in for high praise from the promoter.
Holland said the delay in the issuance of the visas led to the boxers, Raphael Romero and Edison Morillo, missing their flights.
He added that connecting flights in St. Maarten would have only gotten them to Guyana at around 17:00 hours today, mere hours before their ring dates. Romero is to match gloves with Lennox ‘Pretty Boy’ Allen while Morillo will duke it out with Leon ‘Hurry up’ Moore.
Holland said the fighters, though disappointed, have agreed to shift their fight date to next Saturday at the Banks DIH Thirst Park ground. The promoter venting his frustrations said the card has every possibility of being sold out as over five hundred tickets were sold during the first few hours that they were released to the public. Nevertheless, he is looking to make the best of the situation and put on a good show for the public and the worldwide audience via the Caribbean Media Corporation’s Caribvision station that the card will be rebroadcast on. Holland also promised a big announcement during next week and has indicated his appreciation for the timely support of business conglomerate Banks DIH and the President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control Peter Abdool.