Former three-time national amateur boxing champion Jeff Roberts thinks that the upcoming middleweight title fight between Andrew `Sixhead’ Lewis and Howard `Battersea Bomber’ Eastman is a battle between two evenly-matched boxers.
“I think it is a very good match-up because both `Sixhead’ Lewis and Howard Eastman are former world rated fighters, said Roberts, a former national flyweight champion and two-time national bantamweight champion.
“Their styles are similar because both fighters can adjust and that makes it for a competitive fight between the two,” he added.
Roberts, who won the national flyweight title in 1977 and was bantamweight champion in 1978 and 1979, is back home on holiday from the United States of America where he resides.
Since his return he has had the opportunity of seeing both boxers during their training sessions.
“I believe in my opinion that the fighter that is more focused, trains the hardest and comes in 100 per cent mentally, physically and spiritually, would have the edge.
“Myself and Eastman did a couple of things in Berbice. I also did a couple days of pad work with Orlan `Pocket Rocket’ Rogers teaching him some stuff like how to shadow box, how to manoeuvre the correct way, how to evade punches, when to attack, when not to attack and so on.”
Roberts said he was impressed with Eastman.
“I think that Eastman still could be a world-class boxer. I still think he has the ability to get back there if he has the right people behind him,” was his candid assessment of the `Battersea Bomber.’
Roberts feels the same way about Lewis and, according to him, “Lewis is a very versatile boxer who knows how to use the ring and can adjust to any condition.”
“I saw `Sixhead’ spar about a week-and-a-half ago. I think he looked pretty good,” he added.
He would not be drawn into picking a winner but said he was sorry he would not be here for the bout.
Decline of the sport at the
amateur level
Roberts also touched a bit on amateur boxing in Guyana and the reasons for its decline.
He feels that to have good professional boxers a country must first have a strong amateur programme which produces boxers with the requisite degree of skill so as to be able to make the successful transition to the pro ranks.
He pointed out that Guyana had a strong amateur programme in the past.
“I think between 1970 and 1990, that 20-year span, we had a good crop of boxers especially from The Guyana National Service, The Guyana Defence Force, The Guyana Police Force, The Guyana People’s Militia and all the top clubs in Georgetown like Salem, Save the Children, Republicans, Bauxite Bombers, Dowden’s and last but not least Agricola. And there were a lot of smaller gyms that produced good fighters here and there.
“The military and para-military gyms meant that the government subsidized their food and training but today’s boxers have to fend for themselves which makes it more difficult.”
Roberts feels that back then more persons were interested in the sport spectator-wise.
“I think that a lot of people were more interested in the sport and because of that I think it carried over in to the ’90s. It fell off a bit from ’95 to 2000 because of several factors like the decline of the clubs, the decline of coaches and the lack of equipment. I also think the sport lacked a little bit of national interest.
“But from what I am seeing now, I think the present amateur body is doing a good job. But I also think they need a lot of support, especially from the government.”
Roberts feels that Guyana needs a vibrant sports policy in order for their sportsmen and women to excel internationally.
“I was involved in a three-day course in Florida in 2001 which brought together over 40 countries, each with two representatives. I did not see Guyana there but there were other Caribbean countries there.
“One of the topics discussed at the course was the developmental stages of amateur boxing. What you learnt from that course was what you took back to your country and after completion of the course one was able to produce a draft plan for that particular sport.
“Jamaica and Trinidad were represented and they are two of the countries who have made tremendous progress in the sport of boxing over the years and I attribute that to their participation at the course and, I guess, plus the overall assistance from their government.
“Jamaica and Trinidad now have great programmes through the government which will enhance their future participation in the sport.
“Guyana used to be the best in the Caribbean whether it was boxing, track and field, cycling, volleyball and so on and I think the deterioration really come through the lack of facilities and programmes.
“In the developed countries, the children are involved in sports from an early age, as young as six-years-old.
“By the time they reach their teens, 15 and 16-year-olds, they’ve got great experience.
“I started boxing at the age of 16 and that’s really late. From 16-30 is when you are at your best. That’s the reason why most Guyanese athletes last longer because they are late starters or what you call late bloomers. But it is a handicap for the athlete because of the experience factor.
“B.L Crombie once said to me that the sport that he believes can put Guyana at the top of the world is boxing and he said that over 30 years ago. And it has been proven over the years that boxing is the sport that gave us that edge, you just have to look at the exploits of Michael Parris and our world champions to see that.
“In the US there are sports facilities from elementary (Grade One) to High School. They have great facilities so I think that’s where we have to start. We have to start from the elementary level teaching the basic foundation just like you do in education, said Roberts, who holds a degree in business management and has started reading for his Masters degree in managerial leadership.
Way forward
Roberts feels that there are not enough competitions locally and internationally and said this has led somewhat to the decline in the skill level of the boxers.
He recalls Guyana sending boxers like Brian Muller, Winfield Braithwaite, Wencel Thomas and Keith Neil to the Cuban amateur boxing championships and said he felt that exposure helped to raise the level of amateur boxing in Guyana not to mention the stint by Coach Trotman Daly.
“Competition helps to raise the level,” he says succinctly.
“I notice that because of lack of finance, Guyana has been unable to send a full team to the Caribbean championships in the past while they have missed out on sending teams on a number of occasions.”
Roberts said he felt that this was a direct result of the lack of support for the sport from the business community and the government.
He advocates that the GABA do more fund raising activities to help themselves and suggested that the governmental agencies and the government should play their part.
“Everybody has got to help each other,” he said.
