He is arguably the greatest professional boxer this country has ever produced and one of the hardest punchers of the fistic game.
This latest inductee into the Stabroek Sports’ Boxing Hall of Fame is none other than the late Patrick Forde.
Forde, a featherweight, was five feet, 10 inches in height and had a reach of 185cm.
His career spanned 11 years from 1976-1987 and he was the younger brother of Reginald Forde, who was no slouch at the amateur and professional levels where he ended with distinguished careers.
In fact, Patrick was easily the more popular of the two and some would say the better boxer also.
But for a while Patrick Forde was a virtual no name, a non entity. No one, except probably those die hard followers of the sport, had heard of him that is until he came in as a replacement for the legendary Lennox Blackmore against Diego Alcala and, as they say, the rest is history.
Born December 15, 1955 in British Guiana, the late Forde won his first title on February 4, 1978 when he defeated Terrence `Dick Tiger’ Green over 15 rounds for the featherweight title of Guyana.
Forde’s first pro fight was against Roy Smith in a four rounder where he won on points.
Wins over Compton Canzius, Smith again, Charles Quintin and Clyde Wilson followed and the young Forde was on his way.
For a while he campaigned in Trinidad and Tobago but returned home for his first big fight against Alcala. In a performance for the ages which left no doubt of his pedigree, his undoubted class, he kayoed Alcala in nine rounds on September 9, 1978.
A new star was born and one that was rising with great speed too. Just one year later he was FECARBOX champion, defeating Enrique Solis on May 20, 1979 in Guyana before becoming the second Guyanese boxer to win the (British Empire) Commonwealth featherweight title when he scored a TKO over Eddie Ndukwu over eight rounds on August 8, 1980 at the National Stadium Sports Hall in Lagos, Nigeria. He later went on to challenge Salvador Sanchez for the World Boxing Council, featherweight title, on September 13, 1980 but lost a close decision over 15 rounds at the Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America.
There was a bit of controversy in that fight after it was announced that Forde had won the fight but that was changed to a split decision win for Sanchez.
Forde created a bit of history in his next fight when he became the first Guyanese boxer to fight world title fights back-to-back when he took on Eusebio Pedroza for the WBA featherweight title. That bout took place at Gimnasio Nuevo, Panama City, in Panama.
However, he was kayoed in the 13th round on February 14, 1981. He retired in 1987 with a professional record of 23 fights 19 wins and four losses, with 12 knockouts.
In his last fight in 1987, he scored a unanimous decision over the late Albert Browne in a super welterweight clash at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.
Following his retirement Forde was involved in coaching and plied his trade at Gleason’s Gym in the USA.
Forde died on November 13, 2011 in the USA at the age of 55.
