By Emmerson Campbell
Thirty-six punch filled rounds of boxing will invade the Thirst Park Ground on October 13 when Hurry Up Boxing Promotions in collaboration with the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) stages a six-fight boxing card dubbed “Foreign Invasion.”
The card became official at yesterday’s contract signing which was held at the Abdool and Abdool building.
Welterweight Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) champion, Simeon ‘Candy Man’ Hardy will headline the card in a highly-anticipated, eight-round junior middleweight re-match with former European middleweight champion Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman.
Reigning local and CABOFE middleweight champion, Edmond ‘Wonder Boy’ DeClou will take on Jermaine King in a six-round middleweight bout.
The card will also feature national featherweight title holder Clive ‘Wonder Kid’ Atwell, heavyweight Anthony Augustin, featherweight Charlton Skeete and CEO of Hurry Up Promotions, Leon ‘Hurry Up’ Moore.
The undefeated Atwell will match gloves with 39-year-old journeyman Orlon ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rogers in a six-round rematch while Augustin will take on Leon ‘The Lion’ Gilkes also in a six-round rematch.
Skeete is scheduled to face American Allan Phelan in a four-round encounter while Moore, the former number-three, world-rated featherweight, will challenge undefeated American Juan Carlos Pena in a six-round bout.
Yesterday, the customary verbal jabs were thrown, as each boxer tried to psyche out their respective opponent with a war of words. Hardy, the 24-year-old undefeated knockout specialist, who is renowned for his smash mouth attitude, bluntly stated that he will try to defuse the 41-year-old ‘Battersea Bomber’ and end his career.
“I will defeat you again like I did on June 1,” Hardy boasted.
“From June 1 to now you have gotten older, slower and weaker while I have gotten stronger, smarter and faster, it is time I let you hang the gloves up.”
Eastman, who has a record of 46 wins and 10 losses, stated that he was “optimistic” about the rematch and it will be his turn to put things right on October 13.
King, who has a record of one win, one draw and five losses declared that DeClou (12 wins and two losses) ran from him as an amateur but highlighted that the ‘Wonder Boy’ will have no place to run on fight night.
DeClou, who declared that he was currently the best fighter in Guyana, bemoaned the fact that he has to fight opponents such as King as no one else was willing to step in the ring with him. The CABOFE middleweight champion also stated that King should try to defeat boxers in his own division (welterweight) before jumping to the middleweight champion.
Pena is undefeated in 18 fights winning 13 by knockouts while ‘Hurry Up’ has an outstanding record of 28 wins (22KO’S) and two losses. This fight should be a must see.
Phelan is winless in his two fights and will be looking to create an upset against Skeete (one win, four losses) on his home turf. Atwell, who has knocked out two of his last opponents in Rudolph Fraser and national lightweight champion Revlon Lake, will look to keep his record unblemished against Rogers.
Gilkes will have a chance to exact revenge on Augustin who defeated him unanimously two years ago.
Will DeClou run from King? Will Hardy end Eastman’s career or will the ‘Candy Man’ suffer his first bitter defeat? Those questions will be answered on October 13 at Thirst Park.
Sponsors for the card include Banks DIH Limited, Liat and Delta Airlines and others.
Bell time is 20:00hrs while admission for the event is still to be determined.
