By Rawle Toney
“It’s been seven years since I last came back home, and now even though I’m not here to stay at the moment, I will be looking to come back next year to claim the heavyweight title, so Guyana look out”
Those were the words of former cruiserweight champion Andre “Stone” Purlett, who in an exclusive interview with Stabroek Sport expres-sed his readiness to create waves on the local boxing scene.
Purlett now 35 returned to Guyana and though on a short personal visit, is highly contemplating a return to the Land of many Waters for what he calls, to claim what is rightfully his.
The 6’1” orthodox fighter who has a record 40-3(35 KO), told this newspapers that he’s really excited about returning home to fight.
“It’s something that I’m very enthused about since, over the years a lot of people have been calling on me to return home and do something.
So far, I have spoken to President of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) Peter Abdool and Promoter Odinga Lumumba, so very soon the Guyanese public will be seeing me in action” said Purlett.
The fighter is also thinking about moving back to Guyana, since he feels that there is a lot of business opportunities here, citing that unlike his hey days which was in the early 1990’s, the sport has some what died and his intentions is to revitalize it.
He went on to state that he has sparred with some of the worlds best heavyweight fighters, naming, present World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion Ukrainian Vladimir Klischko, former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, Glen Johnson and Roy Jones Jr. amongst many others.
“Well next year I will see if I can get a top flight heavyweight fighter to come to Guyana with me so we can try and boost the sport. I was taken to the Ukraine by Klischko as his training partner and I was shown around his country, so I’ll ask him and maybe he’ll return the favour.”
Purlett further stated: “Those guys are very cool and always like the idea of developing the sport regardless of which country it is.”
The former cruiserweight turned heavyweight is expected to fight Michael Grant who stands at 6’7” and holds a similar record to his, next February in the USA.
To this, Purlett who lost his last fight to Aaron Williams after being knocked out in the sixth round in April this year, stated that he’s going to be more than ready to step into the ring again and this time around things will be different.
In 1992 Purlett turned professional and was more known as a cruiserweight fighter. He fought undefeated in Guyana up until 1995 where David Fields was his last victim before migrating to Brooklyn USA and later on to Florida.
The name “Stone” Purlett was given to the fighter by former Stabroek News sports journalist cum politician Steve Ninvalle, after the reporter felt that he had heavy hands since he leaves most of his opponents on the ground.
Purlett is making a vocal call on corperate Guyana and more so fight enthusiasts to support boxing since in 2009, he will be the man to beat on the local scene.
