Boxing fans get ready; the Guyana Fight Night Pro Am initiative is scheduled to return to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall in October.
According to executives of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), plans are on stream to stage a card on October 11 or 12 and will feature Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) champions, Dexter Marques (flyweight), Clive ‘The Punisher’ Atwell (featherweight and light welterweight) and Edmond ‘Wonder Boy’ DeClou (middleweight).
“With the Guyana versus Jamaican card scheduled for September 27 in Jamaica in a limbo we have begun planning a card of our own for the second week in October”, GBBC president, Peter Abdool told Stabroek Sport yesterday.
“It will be exciting and will feature local and regional champions”, Abdool added.
The board’s matchmaker and veteran referee, Eon Jardine revealed that Marques will oppose Berbician, Richard Williamson, the undefeated Atwell will take on USA’s Ian James while DeClou will match gloves with Barbados’ Shaka Henry.
The matchmakers will also pit Derrick Richmond of Berbice against James Walcott or Anson Green. “Those bouts are still in the pipeline and are still being negotiated but we will know for sure who will fight who when the contracts are signed”, said Jardine
The names of the Simon Pures that will compete on the amateur segment of the card will be published in a subsequent article.
Meanwhile, Jardine and Abdool also commented on the passing of former World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion, Ken Norton who lost his final fight, a battle with heart failure on Wednesday.
Norton, who passed away at the age of 70, is renowned for his 12th-round victory over the self-proclaimed ‘greatest’ Muhammad Ali, when he famously broke Ali’s jaw 40 years ago.
“In his era he was one of the best, he was strong and had a good chin” Jardine declared.
“He had a style to beat Ali, he wasn’t that flashy but he was a hardworking humble champion that many boxers looked up to, he was a true role model, his passing is a big loss for the boxing fraternity.”
Similar sentiments were echoed by Abdool.
Norton who had a professional record of 42 wins (including 33 knockouts), seven losses and one draw, also appeared in 20 movies and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992.
