AFTER dominating the opening night of the Guyana Boxing Association’s (GBA) Andrew Lewis National Boxing Championships which got underway on Friday evening at the National Gymnasium, Mandela Avenue, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) had to settle on sharing the spoils on night two of the championships.On the opening night, the soldiers who are the defending champions, won six of eight fights.However, the following night they were put to the test by the other five competing gyms,and would have been hard pressed to dominate the proceedings last evening when the championships, which is being staged in memory of Guyana’s first ever world champion, the late Andrew `Six Head’ Lewis,was to have come to an end.
Saturday night saw a display of skill and raw courage from the Army’s representative, Don Cumberbatch, who scored a third round stoppage of Republican (Rep) bantamweight, Ewart Cobis,at 2minutes 37seconds (2:37).
The soldiers, who have dominated the amateur sport for years, however, lost their second encounter as Julius Kesney of the Rose Hall Jammers Gym (RHJ) triumphed over Jushaine Ferrier (GDF), to win by TKO in 2:46secs of the 3rd round in their bantamweight contest.
In the welterweight encounter between Omar Natuhsokhodo of the Forgotten Youth Foundation Gym(FYF) and Mark Blake (GDF), the taller Natuhsokhodo tried using his reach advantage to stave off the soldier.However, the latter went on to win by a unanimous points decision.
In other results, John Phillips (GDF) turned up the heat against Orin Rodrigues (REP) and forced the referee to halt their bantamweight contest at 1min.20secs of the 2nd round, moments before lightweight boxer Triston Browne (GDF), eked out a split decision verdict over his gym mate, Chris Cummings.
There were two bouts in the jnr/welterweight division and in the first, Colin Hinds (GDF) won on points from Kenroy Fraser (REP), while Leon Semple (GDF) prevailed over Henry Belgrave (PRBG).
Bobby Hou-Yen could not contain his Republican gym mate Joshua Joseph, and lost on points in their welterweight bout while Geraldo Phillips (REP) unanimously won from Jamal Allman (GDF). Joel Peters (GDF) lost by TKO in the 1st round at the hands of Joshua Fraser (GDF) in the middleweight division, while Light/heavyweight Renaldo Niles (GDF) won on points over Sean Kirton (REP) in the heavyweight division,
Mark Jhingoree (GDF), lost unanimously to Bryan Leitch (REP), while Germaine Williams (REP) brought the curtains down with a unanimous victory over Ryan Roberts (GDF).