Elton ‘The Bully’ Dharry on Sunday became the first Guyanese male pugilist to win a world title on home soil.
In front of a sizable crowd Dharry won the World Boxing Union (WBU) bantamweight title by defeating Jamaican challenger Rudolph Hedge at the Cliff Anderson Sport Hall on the Night of Champions II Card.
From the first round Dharry showed Hedge that he was no pushover by knocking him down.
Although he got up from the canvas Hedge was unable to redeem himself and was bullied into submission by a determined Dharry who was on a mission to prove that he deserved that win and to silence those who said he was no match for the Jamaican.
Dharry was awarded a unanimous decision by the judges.
According to Dharry being the first male to win the title at home is a great accomplishment for him.
“It is a great accomplishment for me I am showing my Guyanese fans that I am knocking people out. I make it look easy, but they are good fighters when they fight other people.
Tonight (Sunday) I know that I had a test ahead of me, an undefeated guy, and I am glad he gave me hell so that I can prove to I am good in the ring.”
Asked if Hedge hurt him at any time in the ring, Dharry said no. “He came with a clean shot going back and I slipped on the Canvas. I think we need new canvas. It’s about time. I have been fighting on these canvases for the past eight years. I have been in the ring 11 years and never been hurt I am a pretty tough guy in the ring.”
The newly crowned WBU title holder said he has a few offers among them an IBO fight in March.
Meanwhile Guyana’s Kwesi ‘Assassin’ Jones lost to the knockout specialist, Shawn ‘Sniper’ Cox in their catch weight contest.
Light heavyweight Jones, who managed to hold his own in the first three rounds, left himself open while throwing a punch at Cox who connected to Jones face with a left sending him flying to the canvas, thus ending their encounter in the fourth round.
Jones, who was on the canvas for 11 seconds, got to his feet visibly disoriented and wobbled to ringside where he collapsed and had to be assisted by referee Eion Jardine and his mother.
Jones had issued a challenge to the Bajan heavyweight in a previous interview stating that he was going to avenge the defeat of his friend Wayne ‘Big Truck’ Braithwaite who lost to Cox last year.
In the first bout of the evening the young and talented Richard Williamson lost to featherweight Rudolph Fraser after dislocating his shoulder.
The young Williamson prior to the incident was holding his own against the experienced Fraser.
In the second fight of the night flyweight Dexter Marques knocked out Selwyn Lett of Barbados in the third round. Debutant Mahmood ‘The Extractor’ Loul scored a second round knockout of Patrick Boston in their middleweight clash.
Loul said the fight was a good one and he is preparing for his next fight. According to him, he will be here for the next year and a half studying Dentistry but will be in the ring during that period.
