Clive Atwell, Cecil Smith, Mark Austin and Simeon Hardy signed their contracts yesterday for the ninth edition of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control/Guyana Amateur Boxing Association Pro-Am card at the GBBC office on Avenue of the Republic.
Atwell, a former amateur champion, will be on show on October 29 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) against Smith in the lightweight division from 20:00 hours. Atwell, who fought for the first time on the Pro-Am card last month, will be looking to shake off the effects of his first professional draw to Austin when he enters the professional circuit for the third time.
Smith on the other hand will have his work cut out for him especially since he has only won two out of his five professional fights. The featherweight’s last loss came at the hands of Austin, who has become a household name on the Friday Night Fights card.
In the junior middleweight contest Hardy will trade punches with Patrick Boston while Austin will challenge Barbados-based Guyanese Revlon Lake in the lightweight division. Mandessa Moses, who suffered her first professional defeat in her debut fight against Wendy Allen of Trinidad and Tobago, will have a chance to make amends in their feature super lightweight fight.
At the signing yesterday Atwell promised again that fight fans will see the fighter that rose in the amateur ranks to become champion.
“Since the last fight I never left the gym, so you’ll see me in far better shape than the last time. It will be more like the Atwell of old,” he assured. The talented orthodox fighter also was grateful to the GBBC for hosting the monthly cards and expressed his pleasure at returning home to fight. Atwell, based in Dominica, returned home to fight on the September and October cards.
Smith, on the other hand, has expressed confidence of doing well, although he stayed clear of making any predictions.
“I’m working very hard for this fight. I’m training under coach Lennox Daniels at the moment. I just going out there to fight, no predictions!” Smith declared.
There are also four amateur fights carded for the evening, and the names will be released shortly. The GBBC’s Friday Night Fights Pro Am monthly boxing card is a collaboration by the Guyana Amateur Boxing Association and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport aimed at giving exposure to the amateurs and enhancing the profiles of the professionals.
