By Donald Duff
You may have heard of brothers Raul and Steven Frank, Guyanese boxers who fought for world titles. Now another brother, Ronson Frank, a cruiserweight, is set to pick up where those two gladiators left off
A few years ago on a visit to the Gleason’s Boxing Gym in New York, the first person I saw as I walked through the door was Raul Frank.
We chatted.
Frank told me of his upcoming fights and his plans for the future. Later on I was to see Andrew `Sixhead’ Lewis and Zab Judah engaging in a light hearted bit of sparring without gloves and Gairy `Superman’ St Clair, who at that time was managed by former table tennis player, Basil Boyce.
My talks with those and other Guyanese boxers in New York, most of whom trained at Gleason’s led to a piece entitled “Guyanese boxers still seeking elusive world title,” in reference to the fact that up to then no boxer fighting under the Golden Arrowhead had won a world title.
The following year that elusive hunt came to an end when Lewis won the World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title beating James Page.
The careers of the Frank brothers Raul and Steven were outstanding even at the amateur level.
Their father Richard claims both boxers won the Novices, Intermediate and National Open championships the same year which enabled their club Dowding International Boxing Gym to place second in the championships.
Steven Frank began boxing at the age of 14 and was to quickly establish a name for himself and was selected to represent Guyana at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
He suffered a fractured nose in a training accident three days before his first bout but fought anyway and lost a close decision. He defected to the US and the following year reached the semi-finals of the prestigious Golden Gloves tournament.
He racked up wins in his first eight professional fights but he retired in 1990 after a controversial loss with a record of 10-2-1 with five kayoes.
Raul Frank is certainly the better known of the two Franks. He left Guyana in 1989 after defeating Jeff Roberts of Berbice and with an unbeaten professional record of 14-0.
Former national amateur boxing coach Lennox Daniels recalls that Raul Frank had an outstanding amateur career.
“The only person who ever beat him was Robin David, brother of Pascal in a National Open championship,” said Daniels.
Raul Frank, who was billed to fight Andrew `Sixhead’ Lewis last year has racked up 27 wins (13 kayoes) in a 37 fight career with five defeats and three draws.
He fought Vernon Forrest for the vacant International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight title twice.
The first fight in August 2000 was declared a no contest and in the rematch on May 12, 2001, Frank lost a unanimous decision.
And even as the 39-year-old Raul’s star wanes, another star Ronson Frank has appeared as if from nowhere on the horizon.
Ronson Frank, aged 30 is a cruiserweight who is being trained by Colin Morgan, who was Wayne `Big Truck’ Braithwaite’s trainer when he won the world title. He is managed by Steven Frank.
Richard Frank told this newspaper that Ronson Frank was around 22-23 years of age when he told his father: “Daddy how come you are training them to be boxers and not me.”
When told that one has to start boxing at a tender age, Ronson told his father…”I can still make it.”
“Within three-six weeks he had entered the Golden Gloves competition and was a beaten finalist losing on a split decision,” Richard Frank recounted.
But as in everything there will be obstacles. Hit by the loss Ronson stopped boxing for a further year-and-a-half.
Deciding to give it a second try, Ronson Frank lost again at the same stage and decided to become a professional boxer.
“He never looked back. He kept winning. He showed more potential as a professional,” said Richard Frank.
Ronson Frank may have started boxing late in life but that factor has not been a hindrance. He is unbeaten after 10 fights and has won five of those fights by knockouts.
His last fight was against Michael Rayner in Florida and he scored a TKO in the first round of a scheduled four rounder.
“All his desire right now is to let his fellow Guyanese know that Ronson is on the move to better things,” said Richard Frank who fathered six boys and one girl.
Close friend Herman Harris, whose friendship with Richard Frank goes back a long way recalls Shawn Frank, Richard’s daughter as often being seen at boxing cards especially when her brothers were fighting.
“She used to be jumping up and down at ringside,” he recalled.
Father Richard dabbled a little bit with the sport at the then Dorcas Club (Mildred Mansfield Youth Club) in the days of Brian Mueller and Maxie Sergeant.
He does not take all the credit for this sons’ boxing prowess but he speaks fondly of the old days.
There is a certain amount of pride in his voice when he speaks of Raul.
“Raul beat the best of the Cuban fighters -Martinez in the amateur days,” he says wistfully.
But for Richard, the Frank dynasty does not end with Ronson. Already Steven Frank junior, son of an older brother Lindsley, is right now competing in the Golden Gloves tournament.
Richard Frank has seen two of his sons fight for world titles. Perhaps the next time will be third boxer lucky and it could be either Ronson, who started boxing late in life, or young Steven Frank jnr.
Who knows?
