GBBC/GABA ProAm Fights

King looking to tame then make ‘The Lion’ his pet
… predicts second round knockout of Gilkes

WHEN the bell sounds to signal the start of the third round of the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC)/Guyana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA)-organised ProAm Fights at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall this Saturday, Theophilus `Blue’  King will be looking to make the seasoned Leon ‘The Lion’ Gilkes his pet in their super middleweight clash.

In an invited comment with Chronicle Sport, the 35-year-old King who will be making his professional debut said he is looking to make an impact on the professional side of things, following a fairly good showing in the amateur ranks.
“I always wanted to turn pro, but was waiting on the right opportunity to do so and what better way than this Friday Night cards being put on by both the GBBC and the GABA, and against an opponent such as Gilkes whom I will make my pet.
“Before making him my pet, I will tame him, so that when he becomes my pet, he will adhere to my instructions without any further punishment,” said King.
He boasts of an impressive amateur record which reads 12-1 and four knockouts, with his lone loss coming at the hands of a Canadian in the 2002 Commonwealth Games which was held in Manchester England.
Prior to that, King also holds a unanimous decision victory over current heavyweight champion Mitchell Rogers, whom he plans to face this year end, but not before he gets past three other heavyweight pugilists.
“Prior to going to the Commonwealth Games, I fought with and defeated the now undefeated heavyweight champion of Guyana Mitchell Rogers at the National Open championships and that would serve as a psychological advantage for me when I face him later this year.
However, I am focusing my attention on Gilkes at this point and time. He challenged me and I am not one to back down from a challenge, hence my aim is to teach him a lesson Saturday night, hence he will be kissing the canvas by the second round.
“I am brimming with confidence in getting past Gilkes. That’s why I predict the knockout. I know my capabilities and he is not as sharp as I am so there are no hopes of him getting past me. For me, my toughest opponent on the local scene at the moment would be Rogers, as he has improved leaps and bounds from when I last fought him, over the years,” King stated.
According to King, his best amateur bout would have been the 2001 Caribbean Championships in Grenada, where he defeated a Jamaican to take the gold medal in the heavyweight division.
King wanted to turn to the professional ranks on his return, with a popular businessman being identified as his manager, but the unrest that took place following the now famous jailbreak, prevented that from occurring.
The former Republican Gym pugilist who now trains under the watchful eyes of Lennox Daniels at the Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis gym in Albouystown, has been doing 8 to 10 rounds of sparring sessions, along with work on the pads and heavy bags.
Add the five miles per day on the road and certainly boxing fans can agree that Theophilus ‘Blue’ King is leaving no stone unturned in his quest to not only stop and tame Leon ‘The Lion’ Gilkes, but also start his professional career on a winning note.
He applauded the GBBC and the GABA for this new venture, saying it will bring more boxers to the sport in both the amateur and professional ranks, since they know that their training would not go in vain as they are likely to feature on one of the cards.

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