USVI’s Corley outpoints Gonsalves to take WBC FECABOX belt
GBBC’s president Peter Abdool (second left) places the WBC’s FECABOX lightweight title belt on USVI’s Demarcus `Chop Chop) Corley after he defeated Guyana’s Dexter Gonsalves for the title on Saturday evening at the Giftland Mall, ECD (Cullen Bess-Nelson photoS).
GBBC’s president Peter Abdool (second left) places the WBC’s FECABOX lightweight title belt on USVI’s Demarcus `Chop Chop) Corley after he defeated Guyana’s Dexter Gonsalves for the title on Saturday evening at the Giftland Mall, ECD (Cullen Bess-Nelson photoS).

 

..Holmes stops Austin in two;—Gomes too good for Khan

By Michael Da Silva
UNITED States Virgin Islands’ (USVI) DeMarcus `Chop Chop’ Corley secured a points decision win over Guyana’s Dexter `The Cobra’ Gonsalves when the two met in a 12-round fight for the World Boxing Council’s (WBC) FECABOX lightweight title on Saturday night at the Giftland Office Max Mall, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.On the same card, which was organised by the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC), Jamaica’s Richard `Frog’ Holmes forced the referee to stop his eight-round middleweight contest against Guyana’s Mark Austin at one minute 52 seconds of the second round, while the six-round lightweight contest between Imran Khan and Quincy Gomes saw the latter securing a unanimous points decision over Khan; the second such decision between the duo in three encounters.
In the main event which was for the WBC’s FECABOX lightweight title,DeMarcus Corley, a former world champion,started very cautiously, allowing Gonsalves to build up points while being on the defensive early in the fight;and this allowed Gonsalves to land a telling straight right to the jaw of Corley causing referee Eion Jardine to issue a standing eight count.

USVI’s DeMarcus `Chop Chop’ Curley” takes the eight count from referee Eion Jardine during the first round of his FECABOX 12-round lightweight title fight against Guyana’s Dexter Gonsalves on Saturday evening . Corley survived and went on to win the fight by a unanimous decision.
USVI’s DeMarcus `Chop Chop’ Curley” takes the eight count from referee Eion Jardine during the first round of his FECABOX 12-round lightweight title fight against Guyana’s Dexter Gonsalves on Saturday evening . Corley survived and went on to win the fight by a unanimous decision.

Early in round two,Corley started to use double right jabs which did not deter Gonsalves, who by that time was sensing that he had his man covered and carried the attack to the US based fighter.However,it was not until the third round that Gonsalves broke through Corley’s defence and registered a right uppercut that floored Corley;causing referee Jardine to issue a second eight count.
By this time Gonsalves was beaming with confidence and he stepped up the tempo.By the end of the fourth round the Guyanese was leading 39-35, 38-36, 38-36 on all three judges’ scorecards.
However, Corley, who lost a split decision to Floyd Mayweather and held Zab Judah to a draw earlier in his (Corley) career, changed his fight plan against the now aggressive Gonsalves who was apparently looking for the haymaker but,Corley with his experience, cornered Gonsalves and eventually caught the Guyanese with a one-two combination that caused the referee to issue a standing eight count.Seconds later, Corley stepped `on the gas’ again and caught Gonsalves with a straight left that floored him yet again for another eight count.
By this time, Corley was closing in on Gonsalves’ points lead and at the end of the eight round, led 76-74, 75-73, 75-73,on all three judges’ scorecard.
For the next two rounds, Gonsalves tried to get on even keel with Corley and seemed to have been doing that as he appeared to be the stronger of the two , but in the final two rounds (11 and 12), Corley seemed to have got a second wind as he started to cut off the ring and connected to Gonsalves with telling punches that the Guyanese had no answer for.
It was evident that Gonsalves lost his sting and Corley kept advancing with an apparently new life and in the end, the judges score card read 113-113, 113-112, 115-110,all in favour of the 42-year old veteran.After the fight,Corley was presented with the WBC‘s FECABOX lightweight belt by GBBC’s president Peter Abdool.
In the main supporting bout of the five-bout card, Jamaica’s Richard `Frog’ Holmes made light work of Guyana’s Mark Austin in their eight–round middleweight contest.
From the first bell, Holmes attacked his man and unleashed some telling blows on Austin;pinning him (Austin) on the ropes and in the process a left uppercut knocked Austin’s mouth piece out of his mouth,causing a 15-second delay to the onslaught.

De Marcus Corley (right) connects with a right jab to the jaw of Dexter Gonsalves during their 12-round FECABOX) lightweight title fight.
De Marcus Corley (right) connects with a right jab to the jaw of Dexter Gonsalves during their 12-round FECABOX) lightweight title fight.

On resumption, Holmes continued the attack and with ap;proximatelyn 10 seconds remaining in the first round, Holmes again connected with a straight-right that floored Austin; he was issued an eight count, but the bell saved him.
Sensing that he was in total control, Holmes came out in the second round looking to end the fight as fast as possible.He was able to do just that, as within one minute 52 seconds of the round, Holmes stunned Austin on three occasions causing referee Dexter Torrington to issue three eight counts. The referee eventually called a halt to the proceedings.
In another fight that attracted a lot of interest, Quincy Gomes proved that he is way above the caliber of Khan as the former out-foxed his opponent to win by a unanimous points’ decision.
From the start of the six-round lightweight contest, Khan, unlike in their last encounter, came out very cautious,using his jabs to good effect and seemed to be ahead on points early in the fight.However,Gomes was scoring a lot of points with his counter attacking approach and after four rounds, Khan decided to step up the pace.Gomes was equal to the task,and it seemed that he (Gomes) was just waiting for the toe-to-toe battle which,in the final two rounds,he (Gomes) won as the three judges awarded him the fight by a unanimous decision.
The opening encounter was a four-round lightweight contest between debutant Anthony Narine and Keeve Allicock.Narine won the fight after Allicock, who led on all three judges scorecard up to and during the fourth and final round, delivered an illegal blow to Narine,who was counted but was awarded the fight because of Allicock’s illegal blow.
In the next fight,Barbados based Guyanese Charwin Estwick registered a points win against Kelsey George in their four-round super middleweight contest.

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