New Year Beatings boxing card tonight …
… Rogers out to destroy Augustine
GUYANA’S former World International Boxing Association and World International Boxing Council light-heavyweight champion Gwendolyn O’Neil has predicted a third round knock-out victory over Sharon `The Spoiler’ Warde when the two meet this evening in the Holland’s Promotions `New Year’s Beatings’ at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Speaking to Chronicle Sport on Wednesday, O’Neil who, to date has 20 professional fights under her belt and who has won 13 of those fights while losing six and drawing one, said she is currently preparing for a world title fight and will be using tonight’s fight as a warm-up for that world title shot next month.

“This fight is like an exhibition for me as I just want to show the Guyanese public that I still have what it takes to be a world champion,” O’Neil stated.

Her coach Lennox Daniels said fight fans can expect a good showing from the `Stealth Bomber’, as she has peaked over the past week and is raring to go. “I’m now getting her into the fighting mood.”

When the contracts were signed earlier this month, there was an exchange of heated words between O’Neil and Warde and both fighters made it clear that they are looking forward to the opportunity of settling their personal vendetta.

“I’m a warrior and I’m not afraid of Gwendolyn. I don’t know who she thinks she is really. But I’m not afraid of her,” Warde had declared.

“God knows, you know how long I want to put my hands on Warde and I’m thankful to Carwyn (Holland) for giving me this opportunity to beat her,” O’Neil had responded.

On Wednesday O’Neil said there is no way Warde can beat her. “So it will be a war. All I need is three rounds to finish her off.”

Meanwhile, the main attraction brings together Mitchell Rogers and Anthony Augustine in a heavyweight fight over six rounds, while Guyana’s 2007 Pan American Games’ bronze medallist Clyde Atwell will make his professional debut against Charlton Skeete over four rounds.

Former Caribbean amateur champion Laurex Benn will do battle with Orlan `Pocket Rocket’ Rogers.

Promoter Carwyn Holland said the card was originally set for December 2009, but had to be rescheduled to tonight because he could not have got some of the overseas fighters in Guyana on time.

He said the card will be featured around the Caribbean via the Caribbean Media Corporation’s Carib Vision.

Rogers said all his previous fights ended early and tonight’s fight against Augustine would be no different.

Augustine, who will be fighting his second professional fight, said he is not making any predictions but promises a good performance.

Rogers who last fought eight months ago and who was Augustine’s gym mate said they both know each other‘s style, but he has been working on some new techniques which he hopes to implement tonight.

Rogers won the national title in 2007 with a knock-out victory over Leon `The Lion’ Gilkes and subsequently went on to defeat Clyde Williams, winning by a second round technical knockout.

Rogers, who predicted a third round knock-out win, said he can end it before, but he wants the Guyanese public to see what he is made of. “So I’ll take it to three then end it,” Rogers declared, adding “I know for sure, it’s not going past three.”

To date Rogers has won five of six fights, losing the other. His five victories all came by the technical knock-out route.