Following a relatively quiet 2017, professional boxing is back with a bang in 2018.
Fight fans mark your calendars for January 20.
On that date, a knockout night of boxing dubbed ‘Bad Blood’ (Mala Sangre) is scheduled to kick off the year’s proceedings.
According to the organizers from the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) and NexGen Global Marketing, a 44-round international five-fight card will be uncorked to quench the boxing thirst of the public.
These and other details were disclosed yesterday following the formal launch of the card at the Giftland Mall.
In the main event billed for 10 rounds, Guyana’s flyweight champion, Dexter ‘De Kid’ Marques faces off against Venezuela’s Dionis Martinez Arias while a host of local boxing talent will feature on the undercard.
Shawn Corbin boxes highly ranked Trinidadian, Sheldon Lawrence for the WBC Fecarbox light heavyweight title in the main supporting bout.
National lightweight champion Dexter ‘The Cobra’ Gonsalves takes on Arias’ countryman, Felipe Barcelo in a 10-round contest and bantamweight standout, Elton ‘The Bully’ Dharry is billed to match gloves with Jesus Garcia also of neighbouring Venezuela in an eight-round affair.
The night’s action is set to start at 20:00hrs with debutant, James Moore fighting Barbadian, Anderson Emmanuel over four rounds in the heavyweight division.
The match ups involving Marques, Dharry and Gonsalves are being touted as warm ups with the ultimate goal of clinching Commonwealth and World titles later in 2018.
Marques was appointed as the mandatory challenger for the Commonwealth Flyweight Title against current champion Jay Harris of Wales, UK, and that bout will be held on March 31, 2018 at the Copperbox Arena and is being promoted by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions.
Tickets cost $1000 for stands, $2000 for ringside and $4000 for VIP.
According to President of the GBBC, Peter Abdool, he is “looking forward to a very exciting card” while stating that he is still in discussions with the amateur association with hopes of having an amateur segment.
Abdool further stated that with adequate funding, his goal for 2018 and beyond is to stage monthly cards with the aim of developing a platform “involving many Regional fighters as much as possible.”
Said NexGen boss, Aleem Hussain, “It’s going to be a massive night of boxing on January 20 and I’m delighted to be part of it.”
