Former British, Common-wealth and European champion Howard Eastman is in search of his ninth title and an opportunity to represent the Caribbean at the WBC Cup in June.
Eastman, at the contract signing yesterday at the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) office on High Street, said he was confident that he will defeat the youthful Sakima Mullings of Jamaica when they clash on April 20 for the WBC CABOFE Welterweight title on the GBBC organized `Firestorm’ card to be staged at the Princess Hotel.
“I am looking to bring back the belts to Guyana and if I have to knock him out to do it, then, that’s what I am going to do.
I am not looking to go the distance with him, but I am training to go the distance. So I just want to get in the gym and see how time works and get the timings rights and everything right, sharpen up our tools,” he said.
Asked if he knew of young Mullings, Eastman said “no,” but said that that did not matter to him.
“Apart from him being a good fighter and he does a lot of stuff which puts guys on the ground but that’s not news to me. You know that is one of my trademark you know how I built my career over the years.”
Eastman, who has been out of the ring for some time, was asked whether ring rust was a concern to him.
“I wouldn’t think so, because we will be going to the gym to polish everything up. I mean we are in the zone where we have to be. I could go 12 rounds tomorrow with any fighter, real thing. So the gymnasium now just gives us more tuning. You are going into the knock out zone, personally, that’s what I do when I’m into training camp. So train with a lot more intensity, you understand, so I am looking forward for the opportunity that I have to prepare in this manner for this particular fight, which I haven’t really done since I came to Guyana.”
He explained that despite him being out of the ring for some time, he never stopped training. In fact he has been coaching a number of younger fighters of including his nephew, Richard Williamson.
“So I am always active in the game. It’s just that I haven’t been in the ring like fighting with anybody.”
The Berbician said this fight means a lot for his career.
“Well, this fight for me is like one of the most important fight in my career right now. It’s like my first fight for me, that is how I am looking at this fight. So we are going into camp for this guy, you know that’s how serious I am taking it.
So we are going into camp for him and like I said we just want to start doing the times in the gym which is going to give us a window for which round we are going to put him out in”.
Eastman explained that he was grateful to be given this opportunity this time in his life.
“I am happy and excited to be a part of the promotion and I think its an opportunity that I did not think would have come to me but I came and I thank the most high for that and all the boxing officials in Guyana who made that happen. So it’s a good fight for me to show the public who Howard Eastman really is.”
GBBC President Peter Abdoon said he was confident that either of the two will give good representation of the Caribbean at the Cup championships.
“If Mullings got into the Cup I think he is going to represent the Caribbean very, very well. Equally I think if Howard got into the Cup he will be very well accepted by the WBC because of the prolific experience that he has had.”
Two other fighters who signed contracts yesterday were Gladwin Dorway and Mark Austin for the junior middleweight title of Guyana.
The two were scheduled to fight previously but unfortunately the fight was called off when it was perceived that Dorway had a heart condition. GBBC President Abdool commenting on the matter said:”But he has been classified by the doctors as having a super athlete’s heart.”
Austin said despite his disappointment that the last fight did not materalise he was back in the ring the next day training.
“So I am glad that the fight is back on and I will be prepared to do what I have to do.”
Dorway, however, said he was not prepared to make any comments on the fight.
Another title fight will see Elton Dharry and Hewley Robertson facing off for the bantamweight title of Guyana.
Dharry was not at the signing, but Robertson said he preferred not to comment on the matter save to say that he was out of the ring for close to two years and that he was training at the Young Achievers boxing gym.
The highlight of the night will be the Clive Atwell/Raphael Hernandez fight. The two will battle for a spot in the WBC Cup in the featherweight division. They will be fighting for the WBC CABOFE featherweight title.
The first fight on the card will see Mahmood Loul and Derick Richmond fighting in the super middleweight division. This would be the second professional fight for the two.
Loul said he hopes that Richmond gives him a challenge.
“I hope he is not easy like Cow, because I trained so hard for Cow and was like I want to fight more. I finished the fight so fast and train so hard.”
Cow is the moniker for Patrick Boston.
Richmond gave Loul the assurance that he will get his full four rounds.
“I have been training hard, my last fight did not plan it out but I am training hard for this fight,” Richmond said.